The Storm Inside
by Vercingetorix1234
Summary: When their dead parents begin haunting Arendelle, Anna and Elsa will have to figure out how to be there for each other and for their kingdom. Post-movie.
1. Welcome Home

"Again! Again!" Anna giggled as she jumped from one pillar of snow to another, clapping her hands in delight.

"Wait! Slow down!" Elsa cried as she hesitantly shot out pillars of snow from her hands.

She seemed to struggle to make each pillar smaller, but for some reason she couldn't control it. More and more came out, and she couldn't seem to hold it back. Each pillar brought Anna higher, and at the worst possible time, Elsa slipped on the ice, and wasn't able to make the next pillar. Anna gasped as she began to fall.

"Anna!"

Elsa waved her arms, trying desperately to catch Anna, but in her hurry she instead struck Anna's eyes with her magic. The image became blurry and faded to black.

"Anna!"

Anna startled out of bed, the dream already slipping from her mind. She rubbed her head as though it would make the dream come back. She thought it might have had something to do with her sister's magic and their childhood, but Elsa had told her that those memories had been modified by the trolls. Anyway, why would she be dreaming about it now? Was she starting to get those memories back? She shrugged to herself. Oh well, if it was going to come back to her then she'd remember eventually. In the meantime, she had plans for lunch.

* * *

It had been three weeks since the Great Thaw, but Elsa's problems had only just begun. Her desk was covered with piles of documents. No matter how hard she tried to organize, the papers just ended up everywhere as she had to reference two or three at a time while working on another report. The only way to reduce the clutter was to work through them, and even then the papers would just be replaced by new ones. Before her coronation, the councilmen had taken care of the majority of the work traditionally covered by the King or Queen, but now that Elsa had been crowned Queen and had had time to get used to her role, she was fully responsible for it. The paperwork and meetings with officials were boring, but Elsa had more than enough discipline and training to handle it. What really weighed on her mind was the responsibility she held for her people. She didn't feel worthy or capable of it, and the recovery work following the Great Thaw did not help to distract her from her inadequacies. After all, she was the reason those measures were necessary in the first place. Sometimes she wished her parents hadn't been royalty and hadn't left her Queen, or even that she could be back in her ice palace at North Mountain.

"Elsa, come out and eat lunch with me! I have to show you that spot on the castle roof, I've never been able to until now!" Anna bounced into Elsa's office. Her eyes were darting back and forth in barely-suppressed glee.

"I can't." Elsa sighed, putting the document she was holding down. She never did like to see Anna's face when she was disappointed, even when they were children. She did an excellent job of mimicking a wounded gazelle. "I have too much work to do right now."

"Elsa? Are you alright? You've seemed a bit down lately." Anna said, putting a hand on Elsa's shoulder.

Elsa appreciated Anna's concern, she really did, but sometimes it was inconvenient how Anna never let these things go. Anyone else, even her parents, would have just accepted her explanation, but Anna was too stubborn for that. Then again, that was how Elsa was never allowed to forget that Anna truly loved her.

"Don't worry about it, Anna. Go enjoy your picnic." Elsa said, still looking down. It made it easier to lie.

"I thought we agreed you weren't going to shut me out anymore." Anna pouted.

Elsa made the mistake of looking up, and Anna held her pout for an impressive thirty seconds while Elsa managed the even more impressive feat of resisting it for thirty seconds.

"I'm just a bit stressed by work lately. There is still a lot of recovery work to do." Elsa sighed again, looking over the papers forlornly.

"You aren't still blaming yourself for that, are you? I keep telling you it wasn't your fault!" Anna said, crossing her arms.

"Yes, yes. Don't you have a picnic to go to? I promise I'll spend some more time with you after I finish this." Elsa looked up and held Anna's gaze, willing her to accept the concession.

"Oh, right, I can't keep Olaf waiting. See you later!" Anna rushed out, waving goodbye.

Elsa returned to her paperwork, and then looked up again a few seconds later.

"Wait, did you say the roof? Anna, don't climb onto the roof!"

It was probably too late. Elsa rubbed her forehead. She'd get a guard to check on Anna when the next patrol passed by her office.

* * *

Anna's climb was uneventful. Unlike certain mountains, she knew where all the footholds on the palace walls were. Olaf was waiting for her on the roof.

"Hi, Anna! A picnic was such a great idea! It's the perfect summer activity; it's just what I wanted to do! The only thing that would make this better would be if Kristoff and Elsa were here. " Olaf stretched his arms towards the sky as he said this, as though hugging the warm summer air.

"I wish they could be too, but Elsa is busy with her work and Kristoff is gathering ice. He has to go a pretty long way this time of year, and for some reason he didn't like my idea of taking apart Elsa's ice palace." Anna grinned playfully at Olaf, who stared at her in horror.

"You can't!"

"Hee hee, I was just kidding." Anna laughed.

Olaf was just too easy to tease; it made her feel a bit guilty sometimes. Still, Anna did wish that Kristoff was there with her. She was trying to be a bit less needy after it got her into trouble with Hans, but she still wanted to spend time with Kristoff now that they'd started officially going out, which was hard when he had to spend days at a time gathering ice. But perhaps it was better that Kristoff wasn't there, because if he had been, he might have blocked her view of Arendelle. Since he wasn't there, she was the first to notice the danger.

"Olaf, I'm not just seeing things, am I?" Anna pointed at the horizon, where unnaturally enormous, dark clouds were sweeping over Arendelle. Despite their distance, they seemed to moving rapidly.

"I don't think so. Do you think something's wrong with Elsa?" Olaf rubbed his chin in confusion.

"She seemed alright a few minutes ago, but I'm going to find out."

Dread gripped Anna's heart. She really didn't know whether Elsa was alright. It was at times like this that she was reminded of how little she knew her own sister. If only they hadn't been separated for so long. Anna didn't like holding a grudge, but she couldn't deny that on some level she resented their parents for putting them through that. This was just like when the eternal winter struck Arendelle, but this time she wasn't going to let Elsa get away.

Anna rushed climbing down, almost breaking skin scraping her elbows on the way. She ran through the halls of the palace, dodging the occasional servant, until she finally reached Elsa's office.

"Elsa! Are you alright?" Anna panted, steadying herself on the doorframe.

"Anna, what's wrong?" Elsa looked up from her papers, an eyebrow raised.

"There's a huge blizzard headed this way! Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine, but what's going on?"

A shadow passed over the room as the light from the window dimmed. They looked outside. There wasn't much light, but what little there was showed only thick snowfall.

"It's not me." Elsa said, stunned.

She got up from her chair to get a better view through the window.

"You can melt it anyway, right?" Anna pleaded with wide eyes, as though she knew it wouldn't be that simple.

Elsa looked back out the window, closed her eyes, and concentrated.

"It's no good. I don't know why, but it's not melting." Elsa frowned and her face looked pained.

Anna took her hands and forced herself to smile.

"I'm right here with you. You can do this."

Elsa flashed a smile at her and closed her eyes again, but shook her head a few seconds later.

"It's still not working! This snow, maybe it's magical, but it's not mine. We need to find out what's going on."

At that moment, the head servant, Kai, came into Elsa's office, not even bothering to knock.

"Your majesty! Something came through the gates just now. You're not safe here; you must leave at once!" Kai could not control his shaking, despite his usual professionalism.

"What is it?" Elsa demanded.

"It's, it's-"

* * *

To the people of Arendelle, it was as though the rules of reality had broken down. The summer blizzard might be explained by Elsa's powers, but this was just not right. The thick snowfall prevented anyone from seeing further than a few feet, but those who were on the streets when it began could barely see the royal carriage pass by them as it traveled towards the castle, even though no horses were attached. From that carriage came two voices that shouldn't have still existed in this world, and as it passed by the onlookers were struck by a chill that reached far deeper than the snow.

As the carriage approached the castle, the guards panicked and struggled to close the gates, but the joints were stuck and the carriage passed through unimpeded. They stood in frozen shock. All their training had not prepared them for the dead King and Queen stepping out of the carriage. The King graciously offered his hand in letting the Queen down, and as they walked arm in arm into the castle, all the torches inside flickered and died.

* * *

"If what you say is true, then I can't leave. If there's even a small chance that it's really them…" Elsa said, still in a haze, not focusing her gaze as she spoke to the others.

She didn't know how to feel. She tried to ignore the spark of hope Kai's message had ignited. There was no way it could be true. Bitter experience wishing her powers gone and her parents back had taught her not to hope. Miracles like the Great Thaw didn't happen every day. And on top of that was a sense of dread. Something unnatural was going on, and this time Elsa didn't have any control over it at all.

"That's right! I have to know!" Anna said, slamming her fist into her palm.

Elsa startled. She'd been spoken too soon; she hadn't meant to encourage Anna to risk her life.

"Your highnesses, please!" Kai pleaded, biting his lip. "Think of the kingdom! It was bad enough when your parents died. I promised them I would take care of you!"

Elsa felt bad for him. Kai had always been loyal to her family and had been one of the only people she could consider an almost-friend during the years the gates were closed. She knew her decision would worry him.

"No, I have to check. If they pose a threat to the kingdom, we have to know who or what they are. Especially if it could be them. But Anna, you should go with Kai. There's no reason for both of us to be in danger." Elsa covered Anna's hands with hers, hoping that Anna would allow her to protect her like an older sister for once.

"What!? Elsa, I have as much right to know as you do. And I'm not going to let you face whatever it is by yourself!" Anna's eyebrows were narrowed.

Elsa almost smiled. Over the past three weeks she'd learned to know better than to try to argue with Anna when she made that face.

"Fine, let's go. But stay right next to me."

* * *

Elsa was wringing her hands as she waited in the throne room, standing just in front of the throne next to Anna. Kai had said that they seemed to be headed here, but she could feel the blizzard intensifying sequentially over different areas of the castle, as if it was being thoroughly searched. She had a terrible feeling that it was her, or worse, Anna, that they were looking for. She glanced at her sister, who didn't seem to be letting the cold or the fear affect her.

In truth, Anna was terrified, but she couldn't let that show, not when Elsa had let her help for once. This time would not be like the last. The two of them together could overcome anything. She moved closer to her sister and gave her a thumbs up, feeling lame even before she put her hand down. Couldn't she have been cooler about it for once? But Elsa smiled gratefully at her, so it was worth it.

Just as Elsa began to hope that perhaps whatever it was would just leave, the doors to the throne room blew open and the sky darkened even further, letting in very little light even through the enormous stained-glass windows. A chill so deep that even Elsa was stung by it filled the room. Elsa could just barely see two silhouettes step through the doors, and her breath caught in her throat. It was hard to tell in this light, but they looked exactly as she had remembered her parents. They moved closer, staying in the shadows. Step by step by step, Elsa grew more panicked. What should she do? She didn't feel safe, and she didn't feel that Anna was safe, but what if they really were who they seemed to be? Then her father spoke, and her fear grew even greater.

"Elsa, I'm very disappointed in you. You've put yourself and this kingdom in grave danger. That's why we're here today, why we couldn't rest in peace. Did you forget what I told you? Conceal, don't feel, put on a show. And now everyone knows. Did you think your father is a fool, that you could just ignore me and everything would be fine? It's only a matter of time." As their "father" spoke, he walked closer, from one shadow to the next.

"I, I don't think-" Elsa trembled as she spoke, her reasons slipping from her grasp.

The niggling doubt that she'd felt after leaving the gates open was back in full force. Her father sighed.

"No, you didn't think. But you can still fix this, Elsa." Her father held a hand out to her beseechingly.

"You're wrong!" Anna yelled, grabbing Elsa's shoulder. "No one is afraid of Elsa, and we're doing much better now that she's not shutting everyone out. It was a bad idea from the beginning; don't try to make us go back to that. Elsa, don't listen to him! He's not real!"

Anna glared at their father, not noticing her mother stepping behind her. When she spoke, Anna let out a small shriek, and quickly turned around.

"Maybe no one is afraid of Elsa for now, but that would never have lasted. We're only showing you a glimpse of that future now. Elsa, dear, your curse isn't safe for the people or for you. You will see that soon, if you don't close the gates again. And Anna, don't tempt your sister. It's hard enough for her as it is, don't make it harder for her. It's the least you can do." Their mother said, holding her cheek as she always did when she was worried.

It was cruel, Elsa thought. They spoke just like her parents would, from their voices to their words, but their actions were completely different. It wasn't right. Anna shifted her scowl to her mother, trying desperately to keep her eyes from tearing up. She wasn't a burden to Elsa. She wasn't.

"I won't do it! The gates will stay open." Elsa said, straightening her back and mustering all of her courage to match Anna's glare, doing her best to ignore her doubt. She startled as she felt a cold hand grip her arm. She looked up in horror as her father leaned over her, as he had done many times when she was a child. But this time it was dread instead of comfort that she felt. "Get away from me!" she yelled, waving her hand and instinctively striking out with ice.

But her father merely took a step back and the ice warped around him. He took another step forward.

"Stay away from her!" Anna yelled, lunging forward with a fist pulled back.

"Anna, stay back!" Elsa cried, but it was too late.

She froze in horror, but Anna merely slipped on newly-formed ice and fell to the floor, her face twisted in pain. "Anna!"

"Anna, I'm disappointed in you too. Didn't I tell you that, as queen, Elsa needs to put the kingdom before her family?" Her father said. Elsa could barely make out a frown in the dim light. It really was just the same way that he used to frown. Her heart ached. "Make the right choice, children."

A harsh wind blew, blinding Elsa, and their parents disappeared. The sunlight returned to the room and the cold left nearly instantly. Elsa rushed to Anna's side, kneeling on the floor.

"Anna, are you alright?" Elsa said, helping her up. "I can't believe you did that!"

"I'm fine. Just a bit bruised. Elsa, what are we going to do?" Anna dusted off her knees and looked up at her big sister as if she had all of the answers in the world, but Elsa looked away.

She didn't have any answers. She hated feeling so inadequate. It was bad enough when it came to ruling the kingdom, but she couldn't even protect Anna.

"I don't know, Anna. I just don't know." Elsa said, hugging herself before finally breaking down and crying.

It was just too much, and the worst part was that in her mind those twisted mockeries of their parents were still in front of her, disappointed in her, after all these years of trying to live up to their expectations.

"It's okay, it's okay, it's okay…" Anna repeated, hugging Elsa and beginning to cry too.

The two sisters held each other for the brief moment they had in peace, in the calm after the storm.


	2. Ultimatum

It had been several hours since the sun had started shining again, but for Elsa it was as though the storm had never left. Her office in the palace was large by any standard, but the veritable throng of advisors, servants, and officials still made it feel crowded. Elsa maintained a proper, authoritative posture as she was trained to do, with her back straight, a neutral expression, folded hands, and carefully maintaining eye contact with all who spoke to her. Though she feigned interest and poise, all she wanted to do was scream, cry, or hide in her room. Unfortunately, all of Arendelle was in an uproar, and there was too much work to do for her to be able to indulge herself. The captain of the guard, Alistair, a dark-haired, broad-shouldered man who insisted on wearing the official armor even when just doing administrative work, as a matter of principle, bowed before consulting with the queen.

"Your majesty, the snow has not melted, even in this heat. We retrieved the snow plows from storage as you ordered, but the horses were scared stiff by that unnatural storm. Even our best handlers can't coax them out of the stables. Would it be possible for you to melt the snow?"

Alistair bowed his head in apology, a comical sight considering that with his height that just meant looking Elsa directly in the eyes. Elsa felt a rush of affection for the old man. He was a good worker, and she knew it stung his professionalism to ask his queen to perform a menial task.

"Unfortunately not," Elsa replied, twining her fingers and not letting her frustration with her helplessness show. "That storm was not natural or of my control, so I can't melt the snow. Please look into hiring horses from the neighboring villages. In fact, let them know that you might need to hire them for the next few days as well."

Elsa had a feeling that their troubles were not yet over.

"It will be done." Alistair opened his mouth to say more, but was cut off by the cough of a portly bureaucrat holding a thick sheath of papers in his hands who Elsa recognized as the head economist, Johansen. His manners could use improving. Still, he was loyal and decent at his job, so Elsa rebuked herself for thinking poorly of him.

"Your highness, you must address the crop situation somehow. The farmers managed to replant their crops after the early winter destroyed them, but this second frost killed the crops again, and they don't have any more seeds. At this rate, many farmers will end up in debtors' prison and Arendelle will starve over the winter."

Johansen nervously shuffled his papers, searching in vain for a figure that didn't spell doom. Elsa frowned and gripped the bottom of her desk, where no one could see. The recovery effort had been going fairly well, but her hopes had been dashed already. If she had only not lost control at least the seeds wouldn't have been an issue.

"Prepare a tax rebate for the farmers affected and grant them an official hold on their loans for now. The bankers will have to tolerate it so long as we pay the interest in their stead." Elsa demanded as Johansen took notes. "Also, grant hunting permits for the royal hunting grounds and prepare a subsidy for food products this winter."

Economic policy, at least, was within her control. The people should be able to survive on meat, fish, and imported grains until the next harvest, though the royal coffers would take a hit. Additional hunting permits would also give the farmers some means to earn a little money. Johansen gave his thanks and left, finally granting Alistair the opportunity to speak again.

"Your highness, there is one other issue," he said slowly, betraying his reluctance to broach the topic. Elsa thought she knew what it was, and wasn't eager to hear it either, but it couldn't be put off. "Some of the guards who spent their last shift in town mentioned hearing rumors spreading throughout the city. Most people are afraid of what that storm was and what was in that carriage. And some people are saying that only you could have made that storm."

His words stabbed at her heart. She had expected it, but had, perhaps unreasonably, hoped that the people would trust her. She allowed herself to look away briefly to compose herself before returning Alistair's gaze. Seeing that he had her attention, he continued.

"I would recommend that you make a public appearance in the town square this evening and address these concerns. It would put the people at ease."

Elsa nodded as a queasy feeling entered her stomach. She didn't need to worry about hiding her powers anymore, but even now her least two favorite words were "public appearance."

"Yes, that would be for the best. Please make the arrangements."

* * *

Anna paced nervously as she waited for the last of the officials to leave Elsa's office. In the turmoil following the storm, she and Elsa hadn't been able to talk about what had happened, and Anna didn't have anyone else to confide in with Kristoff gone. She had already explained everything to Olaf, but the snowman had been unable to do anything but give her a warm hug. Which did help, Anna grinned briefly as she remembered him accidentally detaching his arm in the process, but she was also worried about her sister, and talking to her was the only way to deal with it.

Finally, the stream of people leaving the office ended and Anna took a peek inside. Her sister was alone, and slumped over her desk, which was unusual. The door was open, so Anna knocked on the doorframe. It wasn't strictly necessary since they'd adopted an open door policy after the Great Thaw, but when Elsa had a lot on her mind Anna still felt the need to knock, as though Elsa might change her mind about wanting to spend time with her sister.

"Come in, Anna," Elsa said, getting up from her desk and waving her in. "You know you don't need permission to see me anymore."

Anna stepped inside and gave her sister a hug. Elsa stiffened up and patted her on the back awkwardly, thirteen years out of practice. Anna had missed this, too, especially when their parents died and she felt more alone than ever in her life. The pain of their deaths was new all over again. She wanted to discuss it, but she couldn't address it directly. Not yet.

"Are you alright, Elsa?" She asked instead once they parted.

She looked directly in her sister's eyes, already expecting a lie. Elsa sighed.

"Not really." Hours of masking her feelings had left her too tired to lie even to support Anna.

Elsa looked away as she searched for something else to talk about before remembering a crucial detail that temporarily covered her worries.

"I should be asking you that, Anna! What were you thinking, attacking that thing? You could have been hurt!" Elsa said, waving her arm and accidentally snuffing out the lamps in the room.

She dropped her hand hastily. Anna knew she had much better control of her magic than she used to, almost never shooting ice by accident, but she couldn't help letting a little chill out sometimes.

"What was I supposed to do? He was going to hurt you! Besides, you shot ice at him." Anna crossed her arms.

"That was an accident. Anna, please. You promised you'd stay by my side, not jump in all by yourself." Elsa pleaded, taking Anna's hands. Anna looked guilty.

"Heh heh, I did, didn't I?" Anna did her best to look apologetic. She hadn't meant to break her promise, especially considering how insistent she'd been that Elsa keep their promise to be more open from now on.

"Anna, I don't like it when you do this. It was just like that time with Hans." Elsa shuddered. "I'm grateful that you want to protect me, I really am, but I'm your big sister. I know it's late to be acting like it after all these years, but I should be the one protecting you."

"You don't have to protect me, Elsa. You're my big sister, but I can take care of myself." Anna bit her lip. "But I can try to be a bit more careful from now on."

Elsa smiled in relief.

"Thank you, Anna. That's all I can expect from someone as stubborn as you." Elsa relaxed and let go of Anna's hands, flashing her a grin.

"Says the pot calling the kettle black!" Anna giggled.

They both laughed for a minute, finally letting the tension out, before they remembered the reality of their situation again.

"Elsa, I'm not a burden to you, am I?" Anna asked, her voice small.

When she looked up, she was surprised to see a fierce expression on Elsa's face, her eyebrows narrowed.

"Of course not, Anna! You worry me sometimes, but if you weren't stubborn you would be…" Elsa frowned. "Well, I can't imagine it, but my point is that it's not a bad thing. I just want you to be more careful." Anna giggled again.

"Anyway, I need to get ready to go out. I have to make a public appearance." Elsa said with barely concealed distaste as she left for her room with Anna following her.

"You make that sound like a bad thing. Didn't you like making that ice skating rink?" Anna looked up at her sister, curious.

"I didn't have to make a speech then." Elsa explained, not meeting Anna's gaze in the hope that she would leave the subject alone.

"A speech? You mean about what happened?" Anna again avoided directly discussing them. Elsa grunted. "Come on, Elsa, I know there's something else bothering you."

"It's just that I know some of them think it was me who caused that blizzard." Elsa's face was dark. "I can't blame them. I would think the same thing, if I were them. I just don't know how I'm supposed to convince them that I have everything under control when I can't even protect you." She clenched her fists.

"They can't all believe that. The people trust you, Elsa. You've worked so hard on the recovery. They know you wouldn't do that."

Anna hoped that her words were reaching her sister. Even after these three weeks, it could be hard to do so. Elsa's frown had yet to disappear.

"Even if I can convince them, I don't know if I can convince myself. What can I do if they come again?"

Elsa used the word if, but her eyes told a different story. She knew it was inevitable.

"We don't know that. They might not come again." Anna did her best to sound confident, but it came out as more like a question.

The two continued walking in silence, neither one of them able to come up with something more encouraging to say.

* * *

In the end, all Anna could do was insist on accompanying Elsa to the town square. Elsa told her that it wasn't necessary, but Anna wouldn't budge and Elsa didn't bother to argue a relatively minor point. At least Anna wouldn't be in danger this time, and to be honest, she would feel better with at least one person there who she knew didn't think she was a monster. The two of them walked side by side through the streets of Arendelle with Alistair following close by, the people making way for the royalty as they passed. The streets were still covered in snow, which ironically made the hot weather much more pleasant. Elsa smiled as she saw some children having a snowball fight. At least something good had come out of that blizzard. Alistair stopped for a moment to shield Elsa from a wayward snowball.

He had wanted to bring at least three other guards with them, but Elsa didn't want to seem intimidating. After all, the people of Arendelle had better reason to fear her than she had of them. Indeed, though many people waved friendlily towards Elsa, who made certain to smile and wave back when she could, there were others who didn't seem comfortable in the queen's presence, or who began whispering as soon as they saw her. Elsa wondered if this was what their mother had meant by showing her a glimpse of her future: one in which the fear of others ultimately destroyed her. That fear had subsided since the Great Thaw, but had Elsa been naïve? People didn't trust others that easily, especially when those others had powers like hers. Noticing her sister's wandering gaze, Anna decided to bring up the topic they'd been avoiding. It wasn't a happy topic, but they had to discuss it eventually, and now was as good a time as any since Elsa wasn't in a good mood anyway. Perhaps it would have been better to do it in private, but Alistair could be trusted and was maintaining a respectful distance.

"What are you going to tell them about what those things were?" Anna whispered, not turning her head so that hopefully no one would notice their conversation.

"I'm going to tell them most of what we know. Which isn't much." Elsa said, her smile becoming more strained, though she continued waving. "There's no need to mention what they look like for now, though. It would only confirm the rumors and cause unnecessary panic, especially considering how superstitious some people are."

Anna hesitated, fumbling with her hands, as she considered how to broach the next topic, the one she'd dreaded even thinking about.

"Elsa, what if they were really our parents? The things they said…no one else could have known them. What if our parents really thought that about us, and it's kept them in this world." Anna shuddered.

She didn't want to believe that of her parents, but what else could explain it? Perhaps she hadn't known them as well as she'd thought. They'd kept Elsa's powers secret and Elsa had shut herself off at their suggestion; who knows what else they'd been keeping from her?

"I don't know." Elsa stopped waving and frowned. "Maybe it's like in those stories, where the dead are twisted versions of the people they used to be. If they come back, we will have to ask the trolls, but I don't want to think about it until then."

Anna took the hint and stopped talking. Before long, they reached the square, where a large crowd was gathered before a wooden stage, and Alistair stepped in front of them to announce the queen's presence. Elsa stepped onto the stage in front of the crowd, took a breath to steady herself, and began to speak.

"People of Arendelle, I am here to inform you about the blizzard that arrived at noon today. We have yet to determine exactly what caused the blizzard, but since I was unable to disperse it or melt the snow, it could not have been a natural storm." Elsa paused at this point to consider her next words, and noticed that the audience was listening attentively. Hopefully that meant they believed her. "We are also taking measures to address the lost harvest. Farmers will have their loans placed on hold and receive a tax rebate. Hunting permits for the royal hunting grounds will be issued to provide extra food for the winter." Elsa noticed some scattered applause, no doubt from the farmers.

"In addition, the snow is being plowed as we speak. This year has been a difficult one, but I will not allow the people of Arendelle to come to harm. You have my word." Elsa finished and was relieved to hear applause ringing from the majority of the crowd. It could be disheartening how some people thought the worst of her, but Elsa was always surprised by how many continued to trust her despite her missteps.

She turned away and walked back down the stage to Anna, who beamed proudly at her, getting a small smile in return.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Anna said smugly.

Elsa suppressed the urge to roll her eyes.

"I suppose it went better than I expected." She conceded.

The two sisters were in slightly better moods when they returned to the palace and retired for the night. But in their sleep, nightmares of dead parents tormented them.

* * *

The next day, Elsa got up earlier than usual to do her paperwork and ensure that her orders were being carried out effectively. At 11:30 a.m. she took her lunch break, but instead of heading to the dining hall, she proceeded to the throne room. On the way there, she instructed two guards that she passed to head to the tower and keep an eye on the horizon. They saluted and departed. Elsa had a hunch that if they were going to arrive today, it would be at the same time, and she wanted to at least know where they were coming from. She would have asked one of them to come with her, but she still clung to the hope that those things would not come. And if they did, she did not want to get anyone else hurt. When she got to the throne room, she was surprised to see that Anna was already standing next to the throne, waiting.

"What are you doing here?" Elsa asked, eyebrows raised.

"I should be asking you that. Did you think you could just confront them without me?" Anna's hands were on her hips. Elsa smiled weakly.

"I guess I should have known better." She sat down on the throne, gripping the armrests. Sitting here made her feel lonely and sometimes uncomfortable, but it also helped her draw strength from the role she played as Queen, and she needed that strength now. "Grab a chair. With any luck, we'll be waiting for a while."

Anna lifted a chair up and promptly dropped it again, making a loud crashing sound. Elsa winced.

"Heh heh, whoops." Anna said, rubbing the back of her head.

"Do you need help with that?" Elsa asked, looking concerned.

"No, I'm good." Anna dragged the chair next to the throne and they waited.

Neither of them spoke a word despite the awkward silence, as though they thought it would jinx them. They needn't have bothered, because at noon another blizzard swept over Arendelle.

* * *

Again dark storm clouds blocked out the sun, and again heavy snowfall blinded all who were unfortunate enough to be outside. The royal carriage creaked as it passed through the roads, heading inexorably towards the palace. The figures inside cast twisted shadows as they spoke with the voices of the damned. How many more times would this happen, the onlookers wondered. Would the kingdom ever be freed from this curse? There was no relief in sight, as the carriage once more passed through the gates unimpeded and the dead King and Queen entered the palace. All the torches and lamps inside flickered and died.

* * *

Elsa was still gripping the armrests of the throne as the doors blew open and they stepped inside, barely visible in the darkness of the storm. The chill cut Elsa to the core. She was unused to being bothered by the cold. They stayed in the shadows once more as they stepped closer, closer, and closer. Elsa's breath quickened. She really should not have allowed Anna to stay here.

"Stay back!" Elsa commanded as sternly as she could, standing from the throne.

She was surprised when they stopped. But then they stepped forward again, as if mocking her.

"Elsa, why haven't you listened?" Her father spoke first, circling around her. Elsa turned, unwilling to show her back to him. "You're putting this kingdom at risk. You are putting your sister at risk."

"Why are you doing this?" Elsa choked on a sob. "Why can't you just leave us be? You shouldn't be here." Her father tsked.

"You are asking me that? Elsa, why won't you let your parents rest in peace? This would all be so much easier for all of us if you just listened." Her father looked disapprovingly at her, as he would on the rare occasion that she did something naughty as a child. Anna clenched her fists.

"We're not going to do what you want! Haunt someplace else!" Anna stood as well, waving her arm angrily at him.

"You too, Anna." Her mother spoke. The two of them circled their children, and Anna and Elsa instinctively moved to put their backs to each other. "You have been encouraging Elsa to ignore us, haven't you? We had hoped that a simple warning would be enough, but we should have known better. It seems the two of you together are simply too dangerous."

"It would be better for everyone if you were apart." They both spoke, and they suddenly lunged, faster than Anna or Elsa could react, grabbing Anna's arms in their freezing grips and pulling her back.

They began to slowly drag her towards the doors, hindered by Anna's ceaseless flailing.

"Let go of me! Elsa! Help me!" Anna screamed.

She attempted to kick them, but couldn't land a hit without leverage. Elsa's eyes were wide with horror. She couldn't even use her ice without fear of hurting Anna.

"Wait! Wait!" Elsa ran forward, nearly tripping as she tried to keep up.

Tears fell from her eyes. "Please, I'll do everything you asked, just please, don't take Anna away. Please." Elsa was wracked by rasping sobs as she spread her arms, begging for mercy.

"Elsa, no! You can't give in to them!" Anna yelled, but she was ignored. Her parents dropped her on the floor and stepped back.

"We'll be watching." Her father said, looking down at Anna, and a harsh, blinding wind blew. When it ceased, they were gone, and the sun returned.

Elsa rushed forward, lifting Anna up and hugging her, still sobbing. Anna hugged her back, too shocked to cry.

"Elsa, you didn't mean that, did you? We can't go back to the way we used to live." Anna pleaded once Elsa had regained control.

She stepped back from the hug and searched Elsa's eyes, but found an expression that was both regretful and unyielding. This Elsa might not be closed off from her, but she could not be budged.

"I'm sorry, Anna, but I can't risk any harm coming to you. If we can't come up with a solution, then tomorrow the gates will close."


	3. To Protect Those You Love

"Elsa, we can't close the gates." Anna's eyes were wide with shock. They'd made so much progress, but now it was all being undone because of them. She clenched her fists. She'd never been so angry. What gave them the right? Elsa sighed.

"What choice do we have, Anna?" Elsa looked down despondently. "I can't let anything happen to you. No matter what." Anna opened her mouth to object, but Elsa cut her off. "Even if you're fine with risking your own life, what about the people? Arendelle cannot survive with constant blizzards. What if these visits don't stop?" Elsa smiled wryly. "These last three weeks were like a dream. I should have known I would have to wake up eventually."

"So you're going to give up just because you think this was too good to be true?" Anna scowled and waved her arm angrily. "Don't you think our happiness is worth fighting for?"

"Not if it means risking your life and the lives of our people. I'm sorry, Anna, but compared to that, our happiness is a small price to pay. Believe me, I know." Elsa's lips were tight and her jaw set.

Anna had seen Elsa display a great many conflicting emotions over the past two days, but now her face was unwavering. She deflated, her anger dissipating. She didn't like it, but she had to admit that she didn't have any better ideas. There was no way out. Unless…

"Wait, Elsa, didn't you want to ask the trolls about what they are? Maybe they can figure out what to do." Anna said quickly, hope lighting her eyes. Maybe there was still a way out of this horrible situation. Elsa reluctantly nodded, trying not to get her own hopes up.

"Alright. It can't hurt to try it." Anna grinned and Elsa gave her a weak smile in return. She had to make at least a token effort if she wanted Anna to accept the truth. Elsa began walking out of the throne room, and gestured to Anna to follow her. "You go get a sled prepared; I need to talk to Alistair first." Anna stood straight and saluted.

"Yes, your highness." Elsa smiled. Anna could make her feel better in almost any situation. But that was all the more reason she couldn't let anything happen to her.

* * *

Elsa returned to her office, where Kai was waiting faithfully. She nodded to him in gratitude and sat down at her desk before addressing him.

"Kai, please summon Alistair and tell him to call the guards who were on patrol an hour ago to my office." Elsa commanded.

"As you wish, your highness." Kai bowed. "I am glad you are safe." Elsa smiled at him appreciatively and he left promptly to retrieve Alistair.

Elsa looked through her paperwork to pass the time. If there was one bright side to this situation, it was that there was very little administrative work for her to do today. Most of the blizzard-response measures she'd taken yesterday had included orders to be carried out in the event that the blizzard returned, so all that was left was to make sure those orders were being carried out. All work not related to the current situation would probably be put off until after it had been dealt with. Elsa heard a knock on her doorframe and she looked up to welcome Alistair inside.

"Your highness, you have my deepest apologies." Alistair kneeled and bowed his head, his forehead wrinkled with guilt. "It was a gross oversight on my part to not have the guards ready for a second attack. I should have realized that it could happen, but I mistakenly believed that it was unlikely."

"You may rise, Alistair. It was not your fault. No one could have known that they would attack again, and there was not much time to prepare a response. I did not call you here to reprimand you. I wanted you to hear a report from two of the guards I assigned to watch out for the blizzard earlier today."

Alistair rose just as the two guards from earlier arrived, saluted, and the first one entered the office when Elsa waved him in. She instructed the second one to stay outside, out of hearing distance. She did not want them to tarnish each other's reports with details that they believed that they remembered themselves but had actually heard from the other's report.

"Please report on the blizzard." Elsa leaned forward and paid close attention as he spoke.

"It was around noon, your highness, just like last time. Dark clouds came sweeping in over the city and it snowed very hard. I couldn't see much after that, on account of the darkness and the snow." The guard was putting on a brave front, but his voice trembled slightly. Whether it was because he feared those things or was simply nervous reporting to the queen, Elsa did not know. She forced her expression to remain neutral as she asked the most important question.

"Do you remember where the blizzard came from?" The guard seemed to concentrate, his face set.

"I'm not completely sure, your highness, but I believe it came from the sea."

Elsa clenched the bottom of her desk. It was as she had feared.

"Thank you." Elsa said politely, maintaining her poise. "Please call in the next guard."

The next guard's report was the same. There was no doubt now; on some level, those things must be her parents. Elsa dismissed the second guard, too, and she and Alistair were left alone in the office. Alistair looked surprisingly cheerful.

"Your majesty, this is excellent news!" He beamed. "Just give the order and I can prepare ships and crew to search the sea near the city. With any luck, we can find them in their resting place and drive them out!" He sobered when Elsa simply shook her head.

"No, I doubt you would find anything if you looked now. In any case, it would be too risky, considering their ability to create storms. I wanted you to be here for this report to respect your authority and so that you would have a better understanding of the situation and my next order." Elsa's brow was furrowed. "I'm sure you've heard the rumors about what they look like. When they spoke to Anna and me, they said things that only the old King and Queen could have known. And these reports confirm it, considering that they died at sea."

Alistair frowned. He might not have put all the pieces together, but he did not look very surprised, which was a relief to Elsa. He was not slow, at any rate.

"Your highness, if some dark magic is at play here, then you and Princess Anna need to be guarded at all times." He rubbed his chin worriedly. "Also, mightn't it be necessary to inform the public of the exact nature of the threat?" Elsa shook her head again.

"No, that will not be necessary." Elsa was so very, very tired. It was at times like these that she wished she had been born an ordinary girl instead of having to make difficult decisions in the place of people twice her age. "They said they were being held in this world by my actions. I have agreed to their demands, so they should leave. Princess Anna and I will be getting advice from an expert in magic, but in all likelihood there won't be another solution. Unless I tell you otherwise, I want you to close the gates tomorrow. Also, there is one more thing I would have you do, just in case…"

Alistair's eyes widened in surprise as Elsa gave her orders, but he said nothing.

"As you command, your highness."

* * *

Anna paced in the entrance hall of the palace. She had instructed a coachman to get a sled ready, but now she had nothing to do but wait for Elsa, and she couldn't help but worry while she waited. The gates potentially closing, her inability to reach Elsa, their parents coming back. Nothing had gone well in the last two days. She shuddered when she remembered how her parents had nearly dragged her off earlier that day. She was trying not to think about it, but she wasn't looking forward to trying to sleep that night. And on top of everything else, Kristoff still hadn't returned from his ice-gathering trip. Her brooding was interrupted by a loud, friendly voice.

"Anna! I'm so glad to see you!" Olaf said, smiling as he walked up to her and hugged her leg. Anna gave him a strained smile and patted him on the head.

"It's nice to see you too, Olaf."

Anna was glad to see he'd made it through the blizzard alright. Then again, he was probably safer than any human in a blizzard. Anna wasn't even sure if he could die now that Elsa was keeping him from melting.

"Everyone's been in a big hurry lately, huh? Are blizzards not normal in summer?" Olaf asked. Knowing him, he probably was genuinely uncertain.

"No, they're definitely not." Anna said, her smile dropping.

Olaf looked up at her inquisitively. Sometimes he was too perceptive.

"Are you alright, Anna?" Anna was silent for a moment as she thought about what to say.

For the last two days, Anna had been mostly focused on how Elsa was feeling, and for good reason. Elsa was the one who had been taking the recent events the hardest, and she was the one who had to put on a mask and rule the kingdom anyway. Anna hadn't had time to process how she herself felt.

"I'm scared." She admitted, not making eye contact with Olaf. "I don't know what's going on or what's going to happen to us. Most of all, more than the gates closing, I'm scared that Elsa and I are getting further and further apart. Everything was going so well before, but now she's almost as shut off from me as she used to be. We're still talking, but she's so focused on protecting me that she won't listen to me." Olaf squeezed her leg tighter.

"Anna, I don't know a lot about this complicated stuff." Olaf admitted, looking up at her. "But I know that Elsa loves you. She might not agree with you, but if you keep trying, I know she will listen. You just need to let her know how you feel." Anna smiled at him.

"Thank you, Olaf. I'm going to do just that."

* * *

Anna and Elsa sat in silence at the back of the sled as the driver directed the reindeer toward the Valley of the Living Rock. Elsa created snow ahead of them as they went. They could have taken horses, but Elsa wasn't very good at riding and a carriage couldn't be used on this trail. There was a tension between the sisters since their argument, and Anna desperately wanted to breach it. Anything, any topic of conversation other than their argument would suffice. Finally, she mustered the courage to speak.

"Elsa, do you mind if I ask something?" Anna turned to face her sister, but couldn't quite make eye contact.

"Of course you can." Elsa felt a pang of guilt. She wanted so badly to both protect Anna and be there for her, but life seemed determined to demand that she choose one, and that left her with no choice at all, really.

"Do you think Kristoff is alright? I mean, he said he would be back tomorrow so he isn't late yet or anything but with everything going on…" Anna trailed off. Elsa put a hand on her shoulder and tried to smile encouragingly.

"I'm sure he's fine. He knows his way around the mountains. He might get delayed a bit, but he'll back. You'll see."

Anna smiled back appreciatively at her sister. Things might be difficult between them, but now she knew they would get better. Maybe the trolls would even be able to give them an easy solution to this mess.

* * *

When they got to the valley, Elsa instructed the driver to stay behind while she and Anna trudged through the snow towards the trolls' home. Finally, they came across a group of rocks.

"This is the place, right?" Elsa turned to ask her sister. "It's been many years since I was last here."

"Yes, look!" Anna pointed.

Elsa heard a rumbling sound and when she turned back she saw trolls standing where the rocks had been. They crowded around and all started talking at once. Elsa was slightly uncomfortable, but Anna didn't seem surprised, so she relaxed.

"Oh hey, it's Anna and the Queen."

"Her hair isn't white anymore!"

"Out of the way, everyone. I have to see my future daughter-in-law." Bulda said as she pushed her way through the crowd. Elsa raised an eyebrow at Anna, who laughed nervously. Finally, Bulda reached the front of the crowd and looked up at Anna. "Anna, dear, how is Kristoff? Have you two gotten married yet?"

"Um, no. He's gathering ice. He's supposed to be back tomorrow, but we haven't heard back from him." Anna said nervously, looking down at Bulda.

"Don't worry about that, dear. If there's any man who can survive for weeks in the wilderness, it's Kristoff. You should be focusing more on your relationship status." Bulda seemed to be about to start a long speech, or perhaps even a song, when she was cut off by Grand Pabbie, who had noticed the commotion and made his way to the front of the group.

"Greetings, your majesty." Grand Pabbie bowed, and Elsa curtsied in return.

"You're the one who healed Anna when she was a child, yes? You have my gratitude. I'm afraid we need your help again." Elsa winced internally. She didn't like bothering the trolls every time they had a problem related to magic, but there was no other option.

"These blizzards that have struck the city, they aren't natural, are they?" Grand Pabbie rubbed his chin as he talked. "And if you're here that must mean that even you can't control them. Tell me everything you know."

Elsa explained everything she knew about the blizzards, only generalizing some of the more sensitive details of their conversations with their parents. Grand Pabbie listened carefully, nodding from time to time, his face grave. He paused, seeming to consider what to say. Elsa and Anna waited with bated breath.

"I'm sorry, your majesty, but I do not know what this could be." Grand Pabbie's shoulders slumped in disappointment. "My specialties are in elemental magic and love magic. I know some things about spirits, but I'm not an expert and what you've told me doesn't match anything I know about. This is the wrong location for windigos, which would be the closest match. Perhaps they're ghosts or undead corpses raised by their attachment to this world. Perhaps some other malignant spirit is possessing their bodies. But I cannot say for sure." He shook his head.

Elsa sighed in disappointment, a hope she hadn't even realized she'd nurtured crushed, and Anna looked down. The rest of the trolls looked similarly downcast.

"Thank you for your assistance." Elsa nodded in gratitude. Anna mumbled her thanks as well. At the very least, hopefully this would make it easier for Anna to accept the hard truth.

* * *

"Elsa, are you really going to close the gates?" Anna asked on their way back to Arendelle, not really expecting Elsa to change her mind.

"You know it's what's necessary." Elsa didn't meet her sister's gaze.

"I know." Anna turned away.

That tension was back, and Anna didn't have the energy left to confront it right now.

"You know, you don't have to stay." Elsa looked down, her voice quiet.

She'd thought this for all thirteen years they'd been shut in. She hadn't had the courage to say it then until her coronation day, but she had to say it now.

"I know how much you love your freedom. I wouldn't blame you."

Anna's eyebrows narrowed.

"I'm not going anywhere, Elsa."

"But-"

"I'm not going anywhere." Anna's voice started cracking. She took a deep breath and continued. "Don't say that ever again."

Neither of them said anything after that.

When they returned to the palace, even Elsa went to bed early, but neither of them slept well. In Elsa's dreams, Anna died over and over again, and in Anna's, Elsa never spoke to her again.

* * *

The next morning, Elsa watched as the guards heaved, slamming the gates closed and sliding the enormous, iron bar that served as a lock into position with a scraping sound. The town crier would be sent out later to announce that a curse on the royal family was causing the blizzards and necessitated the sealing of the castle, which was as much of the truth as Elsa was willing to divulge. Elsa sighed and walked back toward the throne room. She hoped that her argument with Anna hadn't been in vain, but if it had then she wouldn't want those things searching the castle for her. Once she arrived at her destination, Elsa sat upon the throne and gripped the armrests, seeking what little comfort they could provide her. The chair next to the throne was still there from yesterday, and its emptiness gnawed at Elsa. Still, at least it meant that Anna wouldn't be in danger. If they came back this time, no one else would get hurt.

* * *

Anna woke up late in the morning, as usual, and struggled for several minutes to untangle her hair. Still, there was at least half an hour until noon, so she did not expect to have any trouble getting to the throne room on time. When she was finally ready, she opened the door to her bedroom and was surprised to see Alistair and at least a dozen guards waiting outside her room. All or most of the royal guards with morning shifts must have been there. Anna had a bad feeling about this.

"Um, good morning, Alistair." Anna didn't wait for his response, trying to seem casual as she swiftly took a few steps down the hall towards the throne room until one of the guards stepped in her way. "What are you doing? I need to get to the throne room."

Anna gave the guard the most intimidating glare she could muster, be he didn't budge. She turned toward Alistair and crossed her arms.

"What is the meaning of this?" She said. Alistair frowned and bowed his head apologetically.

"I'm sorry, princess, but I have orders from the Queen herself not to let you go to the throne room for at least another three hours. You may stay here if you wish or you can have us escort you out of the palace, but you are not to go to the throne room."

Anna clenched her fists. She was so upset with Elsa that she could scream. She was about to speak out when the light in the hallway dimmed dramatically. Anna gasped and ran back into her room to look out the window. All that greeted her was snow.

* * *

Again dark storm clouds blocked out the sun, and again heavy snowfall blinded all who were unfortunate enough to be outside. The royal carriage creaked as it passed through the roads, heading inexorably towards the palace. As it passed by, the onlookers were struck by a chill that reached far deeper than the snow. The figures inside cast twisted shadows as they spoke with the voices of the damned. How many more times would this happen, the onlookers wondered. Would the kingdom ever be freed from this curse? There was no relief in sight as the gates of the castle were blasted open by a powerful gust of wind as though a giant's fist had slammed into it, scattering wooden debris everywhere, the iron bar clanging and rattling eerily on the ground. The carriage once more passed through the gates unimpeded and the dead King and Queen descended from it and entered the palace. All the torches and lamps inside flickered and died.

* * *

Elsa stood and clenched her fists, drawing upon all of her courage as the doors of the throne room blew open and they stepped inside, barely visible as they crept toward her through the shadows. It was almost all Elsa could do not to shiver.

"Why are you here?" Elsa spread her arms and tried to yell, but it came out as more like a plea. "I've closed the gates. I've shut out Anna out. What more can you take from me?!"

Her mother merely shook her head as she stepped closer.

"Elsa, dear, you've only just begun. How can we rest in peace when you only half-heartedly listen to us instead of following the spirit of what we say?"

They each moved to Elsa's sides and turned to face her. Elsa was wary, unsure of which way to turn. Facing one meant exposing her back to the other, and nothing frightened her more than the thought of not being able to see them coming.

"For example," Her father said, and for a moment his eyes gleamed. "You are not wearing your gloves, Elsa. But that's alright. That is easy enough for us to fix."

They began slowly closing in on her. Elsa's eyes widened in horror as she realized what they meant to do.

"Stay back!" Elsa screamed, shooting ice at her father, not really expecting it to work. He merely chuckled as the ice bent around him as he moved closer.

"Really, Elsa. You should know better than that."

He grabbed her left arm in an icy grip, and her mother grabbed the other. Elsa screamed as they pushed her onto the floor and pressed their feet on her back to keep her from moving. Her arms were twisted back, and her face twisted in pain. She screamed again as she felt slimy, leathery gloves slowly being forced onto her hands.

* * *

"Alistair, please. Elsa's in danger. Don't you have a duty to protect her?" Anna looked up and held her gaze on Alistair. He shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry, your highness, but I have my orders." Alistair stood firm, though he didn't seem particularly comfortable with the orders he'd been given.

Anna grunted in frustration, scowling. Why did Elsa have to do this? Anna had spent nearly half an hour attempting to convince Alistair to let her pass, and with each moment that passed her worry grew. Those things were back, and she knew Elsa was in danger. At that moment, everyone in the hallway stiffened as they heard a faint scream. It had come from the throne room. Anna's heart leapt into her throat.

"Elsa's being hurt!" Anna pleaded again, her hands trembling. "My sister could die! Please, you have to protect her." Alistair frowned, but finally nodded.

"Alright, but you stay back here."

Anna didn't wait for him to finish his sentence, pushing a stunned guard out of her way as she ran towards the throne room. Alistair growled and ran after her, the other guards scrambling to follow him.

* * *

Elsa's parents stiffened and suddenly began to remove the gloves, to Elsa's confusion and relief. A moment later, the doors to the throne room burst open and Anna ran through them with Alistair and the rest of the royal guards.

"Attack! Protect the Queen and the Princess!" Alistair commanded with a roar, pointing towards those things.

The guards in the front rushed towards the King and Queen while those to the rear circled around. Elsa's parents stepped away from her to meet the attacking guards. Elsa turned around and looked up, in too much pain to get off the floor yet. The guards didn't stand a chance, not even landing a single blow. Whatever those things were, they were not human, and they possessed inhuman strength. Elsa watched in disbelief as they lifted the guards they encountered bodily and threw them one by one across the room against the wall, where they crumpled to the floor. It was then that Elsa noticed Anna taking advantage of their parents' distraction to run to her side.

"Anna, don't!" Elsa tried to get up and warn her.

But it was too late. Their parents had already noticed Anna moving and were running toward her. Anna's eyes widened in fear as she realized the danger, but they had already caught up to her. Her father grabbed Anna's arm, and she couldn't wrench herself free. Another second more and her mother would be there too and she would have no chance of escaping at all. Suddenly, Alistair ran forward with a scream. Elsa's parents turned to face him, but not before his sword struck the arm her father was using to hold onto Anna with an audible crunch, forcing him to let go. Anna used the opportunity to scramble away towards Elsa. Alistair raised his sword once more to launch another blow, but before he could, a harsh, blinding wind blew through the room, slamming him against the wall to join the other guards.

By the time it ceased, their parents were gone and the sun had returned. Elsa was finally able to slowly get up, wincing as her back and arms ached in the process. Anna ran up to her and embraced her, sobbing. Elsa patted her on the back, her arms still hurting too much to properly hug her back.

"I'm sorry, Anna. You were right." Elsa's voice trembled with remorse. All her efforts to protect Anna had been for nothing. Anna shook her head, not yet letting go.

"I'm just glad you're safe." Anna hugged her sister harder, wishing that she had the power to keep Elsa that way.


	4. That Which Can Be Destroyed By the Truth

Elsa waited in the entrance hall of the palace with her back straight and her hands folded properly in front of her as what was left of the royal guards assembled in rows before her. Her arms were still sore, her back still ached, and the events of the attack were fresh in her mind, but, yet again, Elsa couldn't afford to put her duties off, so she donned the mask of Queen that her parents had left her and tried not to think about her own problems for now. In the aftermath of the last attack, she had asked Anna to get help for the injured guards while she instructed Kai to call in all of the guards who hadn't been at the palace early. If any of them were annoyed at having their free time cut into, they didn't show it. Elsa took a deep breath to prepare herself and began her announcement.

"During the blizzard earlier today, those creatures attacked again. The royal guards who were on shift at the time successfully protected me and Princess Anna, but they were all injured in the process."

Elsa paused and swept her eyes over the guards, carefully gauging their reactions. There were some surprised mutterings, but they seemed mostly calm. Elsa had given Alistair permission the previous day to inform the guards of what those things looked like, though they were not allowed to tell anyone else of it. It would do the public no good to know, but Elsa believed that she'd made the right call by informing the guards, some of whom had seen those things already and been spreading rumors anyway. Also, they had had time to absorb the information before finding out about the attack. If Elsa had told them that those things resembled the old King and Queen right before announcing that they defeated over a dozen guards singlehandedly, many of them would have resigned. A few of them still might, if the shifting eyes of some of the meeker-looking guards were any indication.

"In light of this new information, I am reassigning the majority of the guards to patrolling the city and assisting in snow removal. This way, we can reassure the citizens that this situation is under control." Elsa continued.

She noticed one of the less discreet guards letting out a sigh of relief at not having to face those things. She couldn't blame him; they didn't stand a chance, which was why she would not put any but those Alistair had previously noted to be exceptionally skilled in danger.

"Six of you will be guarding me and Princess Anna personally. You are to respect our privacy, but remain nearby at all times until relieved by the next shift. Captain Alistair was injured in the attack as well, so you will report to Kai for now to receive your assignments. You are dismissed."

The guards saluted and filed out of the entrance hall. To be honest, Elsa did not want to put even six guards in danger, but at this point it was clear that her parents would return to the castle again and again, and she could not allow Anna to face them with her undefended. Elsa was finally able to relax her posture once the last of the guards left the room and rubbed her left arm, which was the sorest part of her body after the attack. She shuddered to think of those strange, slimy, leathery gloves they'd tried to force on her. She didn't want to consider what they might have been made of. Elsa was still massaging her arm when Anna walked into the room. Elsa dropped her arm too late; her sister had seen, and she was biting her lip in worry.

"Does it hurt?" Anna moved closer and began rubbing Elsa's arm for her. Elsa smiled shyly in gratitude. "I mean, that's a stupid question, of course it must hurt. What I mean is, are you okay?"

"It's just a bit sore." Elsa looked down. "It would have been a lot worse if you hadn't brought the guards to help me." Anna raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"How did you know I did that?" Anna fidgeted nervously, hoping that it wouldn't encourage Elsa to instruct the guards more thoroughly next time. Elsa chuckled, looking up at Anna fondly.

"Because I know you. Besides, I gave Alistair strict orders to stay with you. I'm guessing you either somehow talked him into disobeying my orders or else ran off and forced him to chase after you."

Anna opened her mouth to insist that it was her fault, even though technically both were true, but Elsa cut her off.

"It's alright, Anna. You were right. I shouldn't have closed the gates and I shouldn't have tried to keep you away from me." Elsa sighed and looked down again. "I was too naïve. Of course those things couldn't be negotiated with. And of course I couldn't force you to stay out of danger. I was so scared when they were about to take you away that I did everything I could to keep you safe, but it almost happened again anyway." Elsa's eyes began to tear up, and Anna pulled her into a hug.

"I told you already." Anna spoke, still holding her sister. "You were just trying to protect me. As long as you don't shut me out anymore, it's alright."

Elsa shook her head and pulled back, looking straight at Anna.

"No, it's not alright. But I don't have to make that mistake again." Elsa took a deep breath. "From now on, if you want to stay by my side, I won't stop you. Just remember to be careful."

Elsa's brow was furrowed. She still didn't like the idea of Anna being in danger, but at least this way she could keep an eye on her. Anna beamed, her worries mostly dissipated. Still, one thing was still bothering her. Her smile dropped and she wrung her hands.

"I'm glad, Elsa. But there is something else I want you to promise me. I know things have been hard for you lately, but I don't want you to keep making plans without telling me anything." Anna held a hand above her heart.

"I know you're the queen and you've been trying to take care of me, but you don't have do everything by yourself. I want to help you. Or do you just not think that I _can _help you?" Anna's bottom lip quivered. Elsa's eyebrows narrowed and she grabbed Anna's hands, holding her gaze when she looked up.

"Anna, believe me. That's the furthest thing from the truth. I wouldn't even be alive now without you." Anna's cheeks flushed. "You're right. Ruling the kingdom is my job and I don't want to push too much of my work onto you that you're not trained to handle, but I could use your help sometimes. And you have every right to know what I'm doing, especially when it has to do with our parents."

Anna's smile returned. At that moment, knocking came from the door leading to the entrance hall and Elsa could hear Kai's voice asking for permission to enter. Elsa took a step back from Anna and returned to her proper posture before ushering him in. Kai stepped inside and bowed before giving his report.

"Your highness, I have word from the hospital that Alistair has returned to consciousness, though he won't be fit to walk about for at least another week. You can see him now, if you wish." Elsa nodded to him in gratitude.

"Thank you, Kai. You are dismissed." Kai left promptly and Elsa turned back towards her sister.

"This is good timing. Why don't you come with me to talk to Alistair? Perhaps we can figure out a solution to this problem."

Elsa's eyes were steely. Anna was reminded of her determination the previous day, and she gulped. Then she remembered that this was all their parents' fault, and she returned the gaze, nodding. She and Elsa were united now, and she knew that nothing could stand in their way, not even their parents.

* * *

Anna felt a knot of tension in her back that she hadn't even realized was there release as she and Elsa passed by the ruins of the gate, which the servants had already swept free of debris. She probably shouldn't have been relieved that the gates were destroyed since it would be expensive to replace them, but she couldn't deny that she was. She was also glad to be back in the town again with Elsa by her side, even if there were two guards following them. When she'd complained, Elsa had insisted that their protection was necessary from now on if they were going to confront their parents again together, and Anna had grudgingly accepted it. As they walked through the city, the people making way for them as they passed, Anna noticed that the streets were already free of snow and that there were many more guards patrolling than usual.

"Elsa, did you order the guards to clear the snow and patrol the streets?" Anna turned to her sister. Elsa nodded, biting her lip nervously.

"Yes, I thought it would be a good idea since they aren't doing much good at the castle right now. I also wanted to reassure the people. We still don't even know anything about those things, never mind getting rid of them. This was the least I could do." Elsa looked down. Anna smiled encouragingly at her.

"That's brilliant, Elsa. You always know exactly what to do when it comes to ruling the kingdom, even at times like this." Elsa blushed at the praise and shook her head.

"That's not true at all. I know some things from the training our parents gave me, but I always doubt myself." Elsa murmured.

At that moment, a woman came up to Elsa, waving. The guards stepped closer, but Elsa held a hand up, telling them to stay back. The woman seemed middle-aged and had rough, strong hands. She gave a curtsey before speaking.

"Your majesty, I don't want to take up too much of your time. I was just in town for supplies and saw you walking down the street now and was wanting to thank you for the help you've given us farmers. Some folk are nervous about your magic, but my husband would be in debtors' prison without you. You're a right blessing to the kingdom." Elsa smiled, but shook her head.

"You're welcome. I was just doing my job." Elsa nodded at the woman, who curtseyed again and left. Anna raised an eyebrow at her sister.

"Elsa, you're not just doing your job. You're doing it well." Anna insisted.

"I'm just fixing the mistakes I've made." Elsa glanced down at her glove-free hands.

"You should still be proud." Elsa shook her head again, but there was a faint smile on her face.

* * *

Once they entered the hospital, a large, brick building run by the church, a nun welcomed them in and instructed them to follow her. They walked through the twisting corridors of the building until finally they reached the room that Alistair was recovering in. Elsa nodded at the nurse, who left them to talk in private. The guards likewise stood outside out of hearing distance. Alistair was sitting up in the bed, propped up by the backrest. One of his arms was in a sling and there were bandages wrapped around his head and no doubt on other places on his body under his sheets, but he was awake and alert. He nodded respectfully towards Anna and Elsa as they stepped inside. If he was surprised to see Anna there, he didn't show it.

"How are you doing, Alistair?" Elsa asked as she eyed his injuries, feeling a bit guilty that he'd gotten hurt protecting them. Alistair looked down disdainfully at his bandages.

"Oh, this? Don't worry, your highness, these injuries are fairly minor. I'll be up and about in a week, though it'll take another month for my arm to heal. I should be apologizing, though. I allowed the Princess to be in danger and disobeyed your orders. I am prepared for any punishment you have for me." Alistair looked straight into Elsa's eyes, but she shook her head.

"There's no need for that, Alistair. I can guess that it was more Princess Anna's fault than yours. In any case, if you hadn't been there, I could have been hurt." Elsa frowned and paused before continuing. "Which brings us to why I'm here. I'm sorry to bother you while you're still recovering, but we need to do something about those things. They cannot be allowed to terrorize Arendelle and my sister and I any longer."

Elsa's eyebrows were narrowed, and Anna nodded in agreement. She didn't want to see Elsa hurt or threatened anymore, she didn't want the kingdom to suffer, and she did not want to see their parents anymore. Not like this. Alistair rubbed his chin with his good hand as he thought.

"We've discussed this before, but the main problem is that we don't even know what those things are. When I struck the king's arm, it felt very different from striking flesh." Alistair frowned, as if straining to remember more. "I can't quite place the sensation, but whatever those things are, they're not flesh and blood. If only we could see them properly, we might learn something. It's impossible to make anything out when the storms block the sun and they put all the lamps in the palace out." Elsa's brow furrowed as she thought.

"That is a serious problem, and I don't know of a solution to it. We don't know how they put out the lamps and torches every time they enter the palace. If they use wind to do it, then we could put barriers around the flames or use a fire too large for them to put out, but if they are using ice to do it, that wouldn't work."

Anna had been silent until now, feeling a bit out of place, but now she had an idea. She glanced nervously between Elsa and Alistair for a second before finally speaking.

"Um, I know this is kind of a strange idea, but what if you created a gigantic magnifying glass with your ice and used that to light up the palace from outside the city, where the storms don't cover the sky?" Anna's voice trailed off near the end of the sentence as she noticed Elsa and Alistair staring at her. "That is a crazy idea, isn't it? Just forget I said anything." Anna giggled nervously and looked down at her shoes, but looked back up when she heard Elsa laugh, to her surprise.

"No, Anna, that's brilliant! It wouldn't be practical normally, but I can make ice that doesn't melt and it wouldn't take too long for me to construct something like that with my powers." Elsa was beaming at her, and Alistair nodded as well. Anna smiled back.

"It's not impossible, and frankly, we're out of options. I recommend that you give it a try. You should also talk to one of the scholars at the church to help you figure out the measurements you need."

"Thank you for your help, Alistair. We need to get going." Elsa nodded at Alistair in gratitude and he gave the two rulers a salute with his good arm as they left.

* * *

The residents of the village of Andselv, just a few miles from the main city of Arendelle, abandoned their work for the day to watch in astonishment as the Queen created and recreated an enormous structure made out of ice at the edge of the village. Beside her was a stout man wearing spectacles and garb of a clergyman. He held papers with elaborate drawings and numbers on them, and he kept calling out instructions to the Queen, who frequently stopped working to reexamine the drawings before rebuilding the structure again. The villagers had heard of the Snow Queen and her magic, and many of them had cursed her for their lost harvest, but none of them had ever expected that the ice she created could be so beautiful. Elsa had still been a bit nervous about using her magic in front of such a large audience, but the villagers seemed to be in awe of her work. Elsa smiled slightly as she resumed her work, glad that she was able to use her magic to do good.

* * *

That night, Elsa returned to her office, where Anna was already sitting in a chair and waiting.

"Hi." Elsa said before walking to the chair behind her desk and crumpling into it, utterly exhausted.

"Hi." Anna said, looking over her in concern. "How did it go?"

"It's working, which is the important thing." Elsa smiled weakly at her sister. "I'm just a bit tired. I don't think I've ever used my powers so much before, not even when I built that ice palace. That lens was enormous, and I must have redone it a dozen times to get the size and shape right. But it's done." Elsa sighed in relief and Anna smiled encouragingly at her.

"That's good. So, what's the strategy for tomorrow?" Anna scooted her chair forward, and Elsa looked up again, focusing on the task at hand.

"We can't have the lens pointed this way beforehand, or else it'd be obvious what we're planning." Elsa explained. "I'll need to adjust it once they get here, and to do that I'll need time, especially considering how far away I need to reach with my magic and how heavy the lens is. We'll need to buy some time. And no, I don't mean attacking them."

Elsa stared intensely at Anna, who laughed nervously. Elsa didn't like rubbing in Anna's mistake when she'd made plenty of her own, but she couldn't take the risk that Anna would forget her promise to be careful and put herself in even more danger than she would already be in. Elsa was still nervous about the plan, even with the best of the guards there, but nothing more could be done about it.

"We'll talk to them and try to buy as much time as possible. Once the light shines on them and we get a good look, we run." Elsa softened her voice a bit, and Anna nodded.

"It's a good plan. Just go to bed early so you'll be ready for tomorrow." Elsa quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Yes, mother." Elsa teased. Anna huffed and crossed her arms.

"Please, Elsa, we both know you're the mother here."

Anna was unable to maintain her serious expression for long and they both giggled until they ran out of breath. Elsa found herself smiling at Anna even after she stopped laughing. Despite everything, this was the happiest time in Elsa's life because she was able to be with Anna. No matter what, she wouldn't let their parents ruin it. She shared a glance with Anna, and she knew her sister was thinking the same thing. Tomorrow they would find out the truth, and they would put a stop to those things. That night, Anna and Elsa slept better than they had in what felt like a long time.

* * *

The next morning, at 11:30 a.m., Anna and Elsa left the castle to wait in front of the entrance hall, just behind where the gates used to be. Two guards stood on either side of them and another two guards stood in front of them. Elsa had arranged their schedules so that the morning and afternoon shifts of the guards assigned to them overlapped from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. She just hoped that it would be enough to make sure no one got hurt, especially not Anna. Elsa's proper posture and folded hands helped her draw some confidence and strength, but it wasn't enough to quash all of her worries.

Anna was also nervous, but considerably less so than she'd expected to be. Unlike before, they knew what to expect, they were working together, and they had a plan. Now all that was left to do was wait. She glanced at Elsa and they exchanged a quick smile, as much to reassure herself as to reassure her sister. The minutes crawled by until, after what felt like an eternity, Anna almost sighed in relief at the dark storm clouds that covered the noon sky.

* * *

Again dark storm clouds blocked out the sun, and again heavy snowfall blinded all who were unfortunate enough to be outside. The royal carriage creaked as it passed through the roads, heading inexorably towards the palace. As it passed by, the onlookers were struck by a chill that reached far deeper than the snow. The figures inside cast twisted shadows as they spoke with the voices of the damned. How many more times would this happen, the onlookers wondered. Would the kingdom ever be freed from this curse? There weren't even gates to keep them out. But this time Queen Elsa and Princess Anna were waiting in front of the castle, and the carriage stopped in front of them. The dead King and Queen descended from it and faced their children.

* * *

Elsa shuddered as the cold so intense even she could feel it swept through her once more. Their parents standing in front of them did not make it any better. The darkness and the heavy snowfall hid their faces from view for now, but Elsa wanted nothing more than to strip them of that veil they'd used to torment her and Anna for the last four days. The King and Queen stepped closer, wind billowing around them. Elsa forced herself to stay calm. She glanced at Anna and nodded to her before she began speaking, already reaching for the lens outside the city. It would be easier for her to concentrate if she didn't speak at all, but she didn't want them to catch on to the fact that she was using her powers.

"You shouldn't have come back." Elsa yelled over the wind.

Her father stepped closer, and the guard in front of Elsa shifted his sword, readying to swing.

"Is that any way to greet your father, Elsa?" He chided, waving his finger at her as though she were a child again. "With rude words and armed thugs at your side. You should know better, especially after the last time. You're just putting those men in danger."

Even in the dark, his teeth glinted as he directed a menacing smile at the guard in front of Elsa, who shivered. Anna growled and shook her fist at him.

"You're the ones putting people in danger. You wanted Elsa to shut the gates again, even though it didn't work the first time. She listened to you, but it still wasn't enough for you, was it!" Anna's eyebrows were narrowed and her cheeks were flush with anger.

She hadn't been sure of what she was going to say to delay them before, but now the words flowed easily.

"You separated us! You told Elsa to shut everyone out, even me, her own sister! Every problem we've had in our whole lives. They were all. Your. Fault!" Tears were running down Anna's cheeks, and she roughly wiped them away. "I was so lonely for all those years because of you! I fell for Hans because of you!"

Their mother shook her head in exaggerated disappointment, throwing aside the guard in front of Anna in a blink of an eye as though he weighed no more than a kitten as she stepped forward. Anna and Elsa stepped back and the other guards rearranged themselves around them, one of them eying the guard slumped on the ground warily.

"All these years, and you're still just a child, Anna. We did what was necessary. We're still doing what is necessary. Your stubbornness will be the downfall of this kingdom. In the end, all your good intentions mean nothing because you just hold back everyone around you." Anna tried to say something, but she choked on anger and tears.

Elsa was still adjusting the lens, but at this rate their parents would stop talking and just attack. She needed to say something, anything, and she was surprised by what came to mind.

"None of the things you did were necessary. They put us through so much pain and in the end they were all for nothing because everyone found out about my magic anyway. Or are you going to tell me that it was necessary on that night when Anna was hurt and you said "What did you do?" as though I would _ever_ intentionally hurt Anna. You, my own parents, treated me like a monster and you made me believe I was a monster. I still believe it."

Elsa took deep breaths, trying to calm down. She almost had it, but she would lose control if she gave in to her anger.

Her father's smile glinted again and suddenly he rushed forward, throwing the first guard before he could blink. The second almost managed to swing his sword. The third's blow was gracefully dodged before he joined the others. Anna and Elsa stepped back again. Elsa just needed a few more seconds. She looked desperately to Anna, but she was still sobbing, her face twisted but not making a sound. She was in no condition to say anything more. Elsa faced her parents again as they crept closer.

"And worst of all, you died. You abandoned us! Abandoned me to be queen! But once we finally got over you, once you weren't wanted here anymore, you came back. You couldn't just let us forget, could you?! But now we'll find out what you really are. And when we know, we will destroy you. I promise you that."

Elsa spread her arms to assist in her magic, no longer bothering with subtlety. She could feel the lens responding, its enormous structure creaking as the top rotated against the base and it reached its final position. Their parents stopped moving, as though confused.

"Elsa, whatever you're doing, it's a mistake." Her father warned. "Believe me, you don't want to know."

"It's too late." Elsa smiled viciously, triumphantly, as a beam of light shone through the gap where the gate used to be and even the snowfall couldn't keep their parents' forms secret.

Elsa's smile dropped and vomit came up to her throat as she saw the truth. She could barely keep herself from throwing up. Next to her, Anna stared in dumb shock, not comprehending what she was seeing. They were abominations. In the dark, they could have passed for people or for reanimated corpses but in the light, their horrific forms were clear. Their faces were covered by patches of skin of slightly different shades crudely stitched together. Their hands were covered by gloves made from human skin. As they smiled as though enjoying the attention, their teeth, undoubtedly real though a strangely bright white, were visible. Their clothes were ordinary. But their bodies were made from multicolored ice that resembled the colors of human skin, of greater detail and realism than Elsa had ever seen before. No one said anything for a few seconds that seemed to stretch on and on. Finally, their father broke the silence.

"Well, now you've done it. You've exposed us. It's alright, since we're all family here, but we must leave before anyone else sees. Don't worry, though. We'll come back tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that." Their mother joined in.

"And the day after that. And the day after that. For the rest of your lives. Aren't you glad? We'll be able to spend so much time together as a family."

Their parents laughed, and then a harsh, blinding wind blew. When it ceased, they were gone and the storm had dissipated. Anna and Elsa stood silently, saying nothing, the sunlight they'd longed for harsher than they'd ever imagined.


	5. Monster

For a long minute, neither Elsa nor Anna moved. Finally, Elsa snapped out of the haze and looked around, taking in the scene around her. The guards were still unconscious, scattered across the ground, and Anna was utterly still. If it wasn't for the barely perceptible movement of her shoulders and chest as she breathed, she could have been a statue again. She grabbed Anna's shoulder.

"Anna, are you alright?" Elsa's forehead crinkled as seconds passed with no response. She began to shake Anna's shoulder, but there was still no response. "Anna, please, say something!" Elsa grabbed Anna's other shoulder as well and shook her sister harder, desperate.

Finally, Anna's bank eyes began to focus again on the outside world. Anna gently removed Elsa's hands from her shoulders.

"I'm okay, Elsa. I just need a moment." Anna mumbled.

Anna still looked a bit dazed, but Elsa couldn't wait. There was too much to do, and if she stopped she knew she would begin to think and if she began to think she wouldn't be able to do anything. The moment she saw their parents' true forms, a suspicion had formed at the edge of her consciousness. She needed to confirm it, but she didn't want to think about it until then. Elsa grabbed Anna's hand and pulled her inside the entrance hall.

"I'm going to get help for the guards. You just stay here or get a sled ready. I'll be back in a moment." Elsa bit her lip. She didn't want to leave Anna alone like this, but she couldn't afford to wait and she couldn't drag Anna across the entire palace. Elsa turned and ran through the halls, not bothering with decorum. If only she could run fast enough to escape her thoughts.

* * *

Anna felt as though she was detached from her own body, merely watching as she instructed the driver to prepare the reindeer and the sled. After she returned to the entrance hall, she felt just a bit more like herself, which meant that her fears returned as well. She paced the hall as she thought about their parents. She and Elsa had been so confident and they had technically achieved their goal, but it didn't feel like a victory. She tried not to think about the skin they wore, suppressing a shudder. More importantly, they'd been made of ice. Could that mean? No, it wasn't possible. Anna shook her head even though no one else was there to watch. She clenched her fists. She wouldn't let anyone say that. It just couldn't be true. Well, Elsa had wanted a sled prepared. They would find out soon enough. Anna stopped pacing when she felt something hug her leg. She looked down and was forced to smile when she saw Olaf.

"Hi, Anna! You were looking so serious that I just knew you could use a warm hug." Olaf grinned up at her, evidently pleased that he'd been able to get Anna to smile.

"You were right, I really needed that." Anna's smile dropped and her brow furrowed as she thought. "Olaf, can I ask you some questions about when Elsa created you?" Olaf nodded eagerly.

"Yeah, why?"

Anna wrung her wrists before asking, slightly apprehensive about what the answer would be.

"When Elsa created you, she didn't realize you were alive yet, right? How long did it take you to come to life?"

Olaf tilted his head in confusion, but answered anyway.

"Well, I don't know for sure. It was like waking up. You're still a bit asleep at first, you know?" Anna nodded, not having the heart to point out that snowmen weren't supposed to sleep in the first place. "It couldn't have been more than a few hours, though."

"Where do you think your mind came from, then?" Anna asked. Olaf now looked very confused, and Anna clarified. "I mean, did your personality come from nothing or did it come from something else?" Olaf continued to stare blankly, and Anna laughed nervously. "Sorry, I'm not making sense. What I mean is, do you have any memories from before you woke up?" Olaf rubbed his chin as he thought.

"I don't think so."

Anna nodded, though she was disappointed, but then Olaf continued talking, placing his hands on his head as though he could coax the memories out.

"Actually, I think I do remember something. It's kind of hazy, but I think it had something to do with you and Elsa. You were a lot smaller though. All I remember is that Elsa said I liked warm hugs and we were dancing on ice. Maybe it's just a dream."

Anna shook her head and forced herself to smile despite the icy feeling that settled in her stomach. It matched both the fake memory she had about the accident when she was younger and the real memory that she'd started to dream about. It was a good sign for her recovering memories, but right now it was bad news.

"Thanks, Olaf. You've been a big help." Anna patted him on the head. Olaf grinned back.

"Any time, Anna."

* * *

Elsa had been relieved to see that Anna was looking much better when she returned to the entrance hall. She still looked nervous and stressed, and they still weren't saying much to each other, but anything was better than that mute shock. They now sat in the back of the sled as they headed toward the Valley of the Living Rock. Elsa tried to preoccupy herself with casting snow ahead of the sled, but aside from adjusting the magnifying lens to its initial position as they passed by Andselv just in case they needed to use it again, she was mostly unsuccessful. Casting a bit of snow didn't require much focus, but Elsa was not ready to distract herself by talking, either. She didn't want to talk about their parents, and Anna didn't seem interested either. Still, she needed to at least make sure that Anna was alright.

"Anna, did you mean what you said to them?" Elsa watched her closely, gauging her response.

Anna fidgeted uncomfortably and frowned as she thought before answering.

"I'm not sure." Anna bit her lip. "I don't want to think about our parents like that, but sometimes I can't help thinking about how the eternal winter would never have happened if they had done things differently. What about you?"

Elsa sighed, focusing her gaze on their path through the forest.

"I don't know either. Maybe I did feel that way, deep down." Elsa rubbed her arms even though she almost never felt cold. "Or maybe I'm just confused. I feel like my memories of how our parents really were are mixed up with how those things act. I can't tell what's real anymore."

Anna placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled encouragingly at her.

"Don't worry, Elsa. Our plan worked and the trolls will be able to help us now. Everything will go back to normal once we figure out how to get rid of them." Elsa smiled back.

She wasn't nearly as confident now as she'd been before they saw those things for what they really were, but at least Anna was by her side. It made her worry sometimes, but it also gave her strength.

* * *

The trolls seemed to sense that Elsa and Anna were even tenser than the last time, because as soon as they arrived with the rumbling of rolling stones and greeted them, they called for Grand Pabbie, who made his way to the front of the crowd.

"Greetings, your majesty." Grand Pabbie bowed once again, and Elsa curtsied in return. "The blizzards haven't stopped, have they? Tell me what you know, and I will try to help you."

"We have some more information about the things that have been causing the blizzard." Elsa explained everything that had happened since their last meeting, once again leaving out some of the more personal details.

Elsa waited, the muscles of her back tense, while Grand Pabbie considered what he'd been told. Anna looked nervous as well as she waited. Grand Pabbie frowned and looked up at her with mournful eyes, seeming to hesitate before he spoke.

"Your majesty, it is difficult to say, but I can think of no other explanation except that your own magic created those creatures." Elsa froze, her worst fears realized. Her hands trembled as he continued speaking. Anna clenched her fists. She wanted to say something, but decided to wait until his explanation was finished. "I was confused before because they did not fully resemble any of the spirits I have heard of, but this explains everything. When Anna came here before, the snowman she was with was created by you, correct?" Elsa nodded. "It would make sense for them to be like that snowman, a manifestation of your magic. It would explain their ability to summon blizzards and use ice, as well as their appearance."

Elsa looked down and folded her hands. But Anna shook her head.

"That can't be true. What about their magic? Elsa couldn't thaw their snow. It couldn't have been the same magic as hers!" Anna's voice raised until she was nearly yelling, but she couldn't help it. She knew what this would do to Elsa. She glanced at her sister, who was still not saying anything. Grand Pabbie didn't seem to take offence, simply shaking his head sadly at her.

"The Queen's magic follows her emotions. No one has full control of all of their emotions, and your sister is still new to using love to thaw. I am well-versed in love magic, but even to me it is still a mystery. I cannot say why it did not work the first time or which emotions created those creatures, but Elsa simply needs to try again."

Anna still couldn't accept it. She frowned as she searched for another explanation, any other explanation.

"But it's not like Olaf! Elsa never made ice statues of our parents. And why are they attacking now? If she made them during the eternal winter, why did they wait three weeks to attack? If she made them recently, why now and not earlier? It doesn't make sense!"

Grand Pabbie just shook his head again, but Elsa spoke before he could, still looking down.

"Anna, thank you, but that's enough." Elsa sounded tired. She folded her hands again and tried not to let her voice tremble. "I don't remember making them, but I didn't realize that I created the eternal winter either until afterwards. It explains too much. Why my ice didn't work on them and how they knew those things that only our family could know." Elsa finally looked up at Anna, her face nearly expressionless aside from the slight quivering of her bottom lip.

"But-" Anna protested, but Elsa cut her off.

"Please, Anna." Elsa turned to face Grand Pabbie, and curtseyed again. "Thank you for your assistance." Anna reluctantly thanked him as well and they left.

* * *

Anna's anger dissipated as the sled glided back towards Arendelle. If she were to be honest, she hadn't been entirely surprised by Grand Pabbie's conclusion, even if she wasn't happy about it. Besides, she was more worried about how Elsa was taking the news. Her sister hadn't said a word and seemed to be pretending that casting snow in front of the sled was taking up all of her attention, but some frost was spreading on the bottom of the sled near her feet, the first bit of uncontrolled ice Anna had seen from her in weeks. Unless, of course, she counted those things. Anna crossed her arms and tried to recall her previous stubbornness.

"You know it's not your fault, right, Elsa?" Anna's voice lost its edge as Elsa didn't even turn to face her. "It really isn't."

Elsa finally whirled to face her.

"Of course it's my fault, Anna!" Elsa snapped. She sighed and turned away again. "Those things exist because of me. The harvest was ruined again and eighteen guards were injured. What if someone had died?" Elsa's voice began to crack, and Anna pulled her into a hug. After a moment, Elsa hugged her back. Elsa continued speaking into Anna's back. "I told the people that I would take care of them. I told them that it wasn't my fault this time. How am I going to tell them the truth? They'll hate me again, just like our mother said they would." Anna patted her back.

"You don't have to tell them by yourself. I'll be there with you. And they won't hate you. It wasn't your fault. Really. You couldn't control it, and there was no way you could have known. You'll melt them tomorrow and everything will be alright. You'll see."

"I wish I could believe that." Elsa said, but she didn't let go.

* * *

The next morning, a desperate anticipation clawed at Elsa's stomach as she waited in front of the entrance hall once again with Anna and the last two competent guards in front of them. Her folded hands and straight back were mere facades this time, not helping her calm down in the slightest. There were dark bags under her eyes. She hadn't slept well since the first attack, but the previous night she hadn't managed to sleep at all. She had to defeat those things this time. It was her duty as queen and as their creator. Elsa's stomach churned when she thought of her responsibility for this situation. She had to make things right. She didn't know if she would be able to live with herself if she couldn't. Elsa glanced nervously at Anna. The danger her sister had been in for the past few days was directly her fault, and Elsa couldn't stand the thought of Anna being hurt because of her. Still, she needed Anna by her side. It was her love for her sister that had allowed her to perform the Great Thaw, and hopefully now that she knew what those things really were, it would allow her to melt them as well.

"Remember, if this doesn't work, run. Don't think, just run." Elsa said, hoping that it wouldn't come to that. Anna suppressed the urge to frown and nodded.

"Got it."

The situation was too serious for her to question Elsa, and she could tell just how much her sister needed her support. Anna gave her sister a thumbs up and a goofy grin, trying to lighten the mood as she did before. Elsa gave her a weak smile, but Anna could tell that her heart wasn't in it. Anna frowned and returned to watching the road in front of them. They passed the rest of their time waiting in silence until the storm blotted out the sun once more.

* * *

Again dark storm clouds blocked out the sun, and again heavy snowfall blinded all who were unfortunate enough to be outside. The royal carriage creaked as it passed horseless and driverless through the roads, heading inexorably towards the palace. As it passed by, the onlookers were struck by a chill that reached far deeper than the snow. The figures inside cast twisted shadows as they spoke with the voices of the damned. How many more times would this happen, the onlookers wondered. Would the kingdom ever be freed from this curse? There weren't even gates to keep them out. Once again, Queen Elsa and Princess Anna were waiting in front of the castle, and the carriage stopped in front of them. The dead King and Queen descended from it and faced their children.

* * *

Elsa could have laughed despite the cold as their parents stepped through the shadows towards them. Even through the blinding snow, the shimmer of the wheels of the carriage, no doubt made of ice, was barely visible. No wonder it had been able to move without horses. So much made sense now, but she was still powerless. Despite all her magic, she was always powerless. Their father spoke first, stepping closer, just out of range of the guard in front of Elsa, who couldn't suppress a shudder.

"No impertinence this time?" He smirked. "Now you only need to get rid of these guards and we might actually be able to have a civil conversation."

"I promised that I would destroy you and I will!" Elsa yelled. Their mother placed a hand on her cheek and tilted her head coyly.

"Really, now? I would like to see that, dear. I'm waiting."

Elsa did her best to ignore them and turned to Anna, who offered her hand.

"I know you can do this." Anna said, holding her sister's gaze.

Elsa smiled at her and took a deep breath, facing her parents again. She closed her eyes and focused entirely on her love for her sister. At first her fear overwhelmed her, but then it in turn was overwhelmed as Elsa remembered the time she built Olaf with Anna when they were children, how she had concealed her powers for Anna, and how her father had made her promise to protect Anna once her parents died and she was made Queen. Elsa spread her arms, banishing the ice and snow.

"Nothing happened." Her father leered.

Elsa's eyes widened as she saw the snowfall continue, unyielding as ever, and she spun to face Anna.

"Run!" She yelled, grabbing her sister's hand.

They raced towards the entrance hall, their guards following them. Then Elsa made the mistake of looking back when she heard her mother speak.

"Leaving already?"

Elsa's heart fell into her stomach and she stopped moving. Anna felt her arm being tugged and turned back to see her mother gripping one of the guards by the throat at arm's length, inspecting him dispassionately as he made weak, gurgling sounds.

"Let him go!" Anna screamed. He only had another minute at most.

Beside her, Elsa spread her arms again, reaching desperately with her magic for the magnifying lens, shocked when she realized that the lens was in pieces.

"You didn't think the same trick would work on us twice, did you? Elsa, I was the one who taught you about strategy." Her father shook his head disapprovingly at her.

Anna couldn't wait any longer, running forward and lunging at her mother with a fist pulled back. The other guard cursed and followed her. Her mother dropped the guard she was holding and smacked Anna and then the other guard aside.

"Anna!" Elsa screamed, and waved her arms, catching her sister and the guards with a pile of snow and sending ice coursing along the ground in spikes at her mother.

Her mother dodged the first spikes, but Elsa sent another and another. Her father lunged at her, but Elsa shot a flurry of icicles at him, forcing him back. She pushed Anna and the guards to the side with a pile of snow, away from the battlefield, as she pushed her powers to the limit, summoning pillar after enormous pillar of ice and snow and sending them crashing over her parents. Snow filled the air, completely blocking her vision, and she paused, gasping deeply. When the snow settled, she gave a rasping sob as she saw her parents still standing, apparently unaffected. Her father shook his head again as he took his gloves off, stuffing them into his pockets. Her mother did the same.

"That might have been enough two days ago, Elsa." Her father mocked her. "But I at least taught you that when you know all your enemies' trump cards, they have no reason to hold back."

Both of her parents waved their arms, and ice spikes flew towards her. Elsa gasped and barely raised an ice wall in time to protect herself. The next few minutes passed by in a blur that felt like hours as Elsa summoned and blocked pillars of snow and waves of icicles by the dozens. Elsa attempted to build a snow golem like Marshmallow, but her parents stripped of it snow even as it was being built. Finally, her father conjured a rain of sharp icicles that forced her to raise a dome of ice around Anna and the guard. Her mother took that opening to rush forward and force Elsa to the ground.

"That's enough!" Elsa yelled, rage filling her even as she was held down.

Her mother let go of her and stepped back. Elsa slowly got up, spreading her arms as she did what she'd promised herself to never do again, letting the anger take physical form as an enormous storm. The harsh, white clouds of the storm swept over the city, pushing aside the storm her parents had brought and letting in light, once again revealing their true forms.

"Leave!" Elsa commanded. A harsh, blinding wind blew, and when it ceased her parents were gone. Elsa reached up with one hand and dissipated her storm and the ice and snow she had conjured before running to Anna. Her sister had returned to consciousness and was sitting up, seemingly unharmed except for some bruises. Elsa fell to her knees and hugged her, sobbing. "I can't do this anymore." Elsa rasped, trembling. Anna couldn't think of anything to say. All she could do was hold her sister until she ran out of tears.


	6. Thank You

Elsa paced back in forth in her chambers despite her exhaustion from the battle and her lack of sleep, rubbing her forehead as she searched for a solution to their problem. She had insisted that Anna see the royal physician even though she seemed mostly unhurt, and after instructing Kai to have the injured guards sent to the hospital she had retreated to her room to think. But despite all the thoughts whirling through her head, she was not making any progress.

Instead, all Elsa could think about was her own guilt, a whispering voice that reminded her of all the ways that this was her fault. Elsa shook her head. She couldn't allow herself to wallow; she had to figure out a solution. She dug her nails into her temples, leaving indentations in her skin that took several seconds to disappear. Melting them with her love for Anna hadn't worked, but why? It had worked for the eternal winter. In what way was the eternal winter different from those things?

Then Elsa remembered what Grand Pabbie had said about how her magic followed her emotions and it all made sense. Elsa laughed desperately, stopping abruptly when she realized that she'd done so out loud. She hadn't really, truly considered what Grand Pabbie had meant. She had been so shocked that she had created those things at all and so focused on erasing her mistake as quickly as possible that she hadn't considered why she had created them.

No, she had been avoiding thinking about it. But now that she did, it was obvious. And it was equally obvious that there was nothing she could do about it. Elsa let go of her forehead, her arms hanging limply at her sides. She walked in front the desk next to her bed and opened the drawer, removing the false bottom that she'd had installed there years ago. She took out the lacquer box and placed it on her bed, simply standing and looking at it for a few seconds before removing the lid with trembling hands. Inside was a pair of blue gloves, her spares from before the Great Thaw. She put them on, flexing her hands when she was done. It was odd, really. Wearing these gloves used to put her at ease, but now they only felt confining.

"Elsa, what are you doing?"

Elsa hadn't noticed Anna entering her room, and now Anna stared at her sister with wide eyes as she watched her putting her gloves on for the first time in three weeks. Elsa looked away.

"I'm doing what I must." She murmured, not meeting Anna's eyes. "I'm going back to North Mountain. I created those things, and they are haunting me. If I leave, the kingdom will be at peace." Anna grabbed Elsa's hand, her forehead lined with worry.

"But what about you, Elsa?" Anna pleaded. "You won't be at peace." Elsa sighed.

"There's nothing else I can do. I can't melt those things."

"How do you know that? We can try again. I know we can figure it out!" Elsa laughed dryly, meeting Anna's gaze again.

"I've already figured it out, Anna. That's why I know it can't be done." Anna tilted her head.

"What do you mean?" Anna tightened her grip on Elsa's hand. Elsa took a deep breath.

"Do you remember what we talked about yesterday? My magic is formed by my emotions. I was able to thaw the eternal winter because I wasn't able to shut you out anymore after you sacrificed yourself for me. But it's different this time. The reason those things are so hostile and say those horrible things to us is because, on some level, I resent our parents." Elsa's brow was furrowed with shame, but she did not look away. "On some level, our parents are those monsters in my mind. I know that's not fair of me, but I don't know how to forgive them, so I can't melt them. I've been trying ever since these thoughts first came to be after the Great Thaw, but I can't. Do you know how?"

Elsa searched Anna's eyes for answers, but once again, Anna didn't know what to say. Even when her sister needed her, she failed her.

"I don't. I can't forgive them either." Anna looked down, tears of shame prickling her eyes. Elsa nodded.

"Then I need to go." Elsa turned away, intending to pack the things she most needed.

"Wait! If you're going, then I'm going with you." Elsa turned and stared at Anna in shock. Anna's jaw was set and her arms were crossed. "Remember, you promised that you wouldn't push me away anymore." Elsa wrung her hands.

"You're right, and if that's your final decision then I won't stop you. But are you sure?" Elsa frowned, silently pleading Anna to say no. "You don't have to come, and you'd be happier here."

"I told you already." Anna's voice cracked as she held back tears. "Don't ever tell me to go away again." Elsa's face twisted with guilt and she pulled Anna into a hug.

"You're right. I shouldn't have said that." Elsa spoke into Anna's back, feeling her sister tremble with restrained sobs.

Elsa didn't know what to do. She couldn't stay in Arendelle without endangering the people, but she knew Anna wouldn't be happy living on North Mountain, far away from anyone else. Finally, Anna calmed down and she pulled back. She took a deep breath and held Elsa's gaze.

"Just go to bed for now. We'll get up early and figure something out in the morning." Anna said, her voice small.

"It's only four in the afternoon." Elsa protested, but Anna's stubbornness returned to her and she crossed her arms.

"You didn't sleep well last night, did you?" Elsa winced, realizing she'd been seen right through. "And I bet you're tired from all that magic you just used." Anna looked down and put the tips of her fingers together. "Besides, I think we need to sleep on a decision like this." Elsa nodded slowly.

"Alright. I suppose it can't hurt." Elsa doubted that it would help, but Anna smiled at her in relief.

"Well, I'll let you sleep then."

Anna walked out, glancing back briefly before leaving the room. Once she left, Elsa returned to her desk and tried to do some paperwork, but she could barely keep her eyes open. There wasn't much for her to do with the current crisis as the priority for government business, but she had still neglected her work for the past two days. She really wasn't worthy of being queen. Elsa finally gave up and went to bed, so tired that she fell asleep in just a few minutes, though her dreams kept her from truly sleeping well.

* * *

Anna lay in bed, but she couldn't sleep. Her thoughts kept returning to their problem, but no matter how many possibilities she considered, she couldn't think of a way for her and Elsa to stay in Arendelle without endangering the people. In the end, she decided to wander the halls. When she was younger, she had the habit of talking to the portrait of Joan of Arc when she was lonely or worried. It would be a bit embarrassing if she was caught, but it was the only thing she could think of that might make her feel better. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of the painting. Joan's face was the epitome of fearlessness even as she held a sword and rode into battle; Anna had admired her a great deal when she was younger.

"I wish I could have faith as strong as yours." Anna said, frowning. "I'm trying to be strong, but I just don't know what to do. Elsa has reason to be scared and I just hope she's not right. Everything she says makes sense, but I feel like I'm missing something, like something doesn't add up, but maybe I'm just deluding myself. I wish the angels would send me visions too. God knows I need them."

Joan didn't say anything, of course, but sometimes Anna would imagine what Joan would have said.

"I was not much older than you." Joan would have said. "I trusted in myself and in my visions, no matter what anyone else said. Trust your own judgement, and you will prevail." Anna nodded.

"Thanks, Joan." Anna returned to her room and got back into bed. This time, she fell asleep nearly instantly.

* * *

"Again! Again!" Anna giggled as she jumped from one pillar of snow to another, clapping her hands in delight.

"Wait! Slow down!" Elsa cried as she hesitantly shot out pillars of snow from her hands.

She seemed to struggle to make each pillar smaller, but for some reason she couldn't control it. More and more came out, and she couldn't seem to hold it back. Each pillar brought Anna higher, and at the worst possible time, Elsa slipped on the ice, and wasn't able to make the next pillar. Anna gasped as she began to fall.

"Anna!"

Elsa waved her arms, trying desperately to catch Anna, but in her hurry she instead struck Anna's eyes with her magic. The image became blurry and faded to black.

"Anna!"

Anna gasped as she woke and sat up in bed. She looked out the window and saw that the sky was just starting to brighten; it was almost dawn. Anna bit her lip as she recalled the dream. It was the same dream she'd had before – the memory that she'd started to recover. But now that Anna could remember it better, she realized that there was something strange about it. Elsa had perfect control of her magic until the very end of the dream, when she couldn't seem to stop herself from creating larger and larger piles of snow for Anna to jump on. It was as though the magic had listened to her instead of Elsa. Anna began to sweat as her mind raced. That hadn't been the only time, had it? Anna scrambled out of bed and ran out of her room. She had to tell Elsa.

* * *

Anna knocked on Elsa's door frantically. For a moment, she was reminded of the hours she'd spent as a child waiting in vain in front of that very door, and she worried that it wouldn't open. She was relieved when Elsa opened the door, blinking her eyes in weariness, until she remembered why she was there.

"I know we were planning to get up early, but I didn't think you meant before dawn." Elsa yawned, but then her eyes widened as she realized that Anna was close to tears. "Anna, what's wrong?"

"Elsa, it's not your fault, it's mine!" Tears pooled in her eyes and began to drip down her face, but Anna just barely managed to keep her voice steady. "Those things, they're my fault too!"

Elsa blinked in confusion, then shook her head and grabbed Anna's hands.

"Anna, no. I don't know why you think it's your fault, but it can't be. It was my magic that did this." Elsa held Anna's gaze, but Anna continued crying.

"It's true. Think about it, Elsa. During the very first blizzard, our father mentioned the time he told me that you need to put your duty as the future Queen before spending time with me. He never told you about that, did he?"

Anna watched Elsa carefully, and Elsa was unable to hide her surprise. She was right. Elsa hadn't understood what he had meant at the time. If he had said something that only Anna could have known, then Anna must have had some influence over her magic. Elsa shook her head.

"That doesn't make any sense." Elsa's eyes were wide with shock. "It must just be a fluke."

"It's not. Each time they came, they knew exactly what to say to hurt us. Both of us, Elsa." Elsa continued to stare, struggling to think of something to say. Anna's tears tickled her lips and she tasted salt as she spoke. "And at your coronation, I was also angry when you lost control." Elsa shook her head again.

"But how?"

"Your magic is controlled by your emotions, right? Maybe it's influenced by the people you care about? But it doesn't matter why." Anna trembled. "All this time you've been blaming yourself for not being able to control your magic, but it was my fault, too. Elsa, I am so, so sorry."

Anna could no longer hold back her sobs, and Elsa hugged her briefly. Elsa still wasn't sure what she should say, but she knew she had to be there for her sister. She pulled back and led Anna into her room and guided Anna to the chair next to her bed. She retrieved her handkerchief, which Anna accepted, blowing her nose loudly. Elsa sat on the bed next to Anna and patted her shoulder awkwardly until she finally thought of something to say.

"Anna, it wasn't your fault." Elsa said, doing her best to sound sincere.

Anna looked up at her, but she was still crying, and didn't seem convinced.

"There was no way you could have known. These are my powers, and even I didn't know until you pointed it out to me." Anna began to nod, still sniffling, and Elsa continued. "You are a good person, the best person I know. Now that you know, I am certain you will do everything you can to control it." Anna was still sniffling, but she began to smile.

"Thank you, Elsa. I promise that I will help you control it." Anna's lips were now tight with determination. Then she smiled, the tears still wet on her face.

"What is it?" Elsa asked, an eyebrow raised. She was glad that Anna wasn't blaming herself anymore, but that didn't explain why Anna was grinning like a fool.

"I just realized something." Anna was still smiling. "Doesn't everything you said apply to you too?" Elsa blinked. "You've been beating yourself up about not being able to control your powers, but once I'm the one to blame, you insist that it's not my fault."

Elsa blinked again, and then began to laugh hysterically, and Anna joined her. By the time they finally calmed down, the laughs subsiding into wheezes and pants, Elsa felt as though the enormous weight on her shoulders was suddenly much lighter.

"Seriously, though," Anna continued, meeting Elsa's gaze, "If you can forgive me, you can forgive yourself. I still remember what you said before, and you're not a monster. You're my big sister, and the best one I could ask for."

Elsa's eyes began to tear up and she looked away to fiddle with her braid for a few seconds before nodding.

"I guess you're right." Elsa conceded. "I will try, at least." A dam had burst between them, and now Elsa felt she could ask something that had been bothering her since the beginning of the conversation. "Anna, what was that conversation father had with you?"

Anna looked away and didn't say anything at first, but Elsa was willing to wait.

"It happened when I was thirteen," Anna recalled, her eyes unfocused. "I had had enough of you shutting me out and I made Father explain why. He used to just avoid the topic, but that day I wouldn't let him get away. Eventually, he snapped and said that you needed to prepare to become Queen and that you couldn't afford to waste time with me when you could be studying. It made me feel like I was a burden to you."

Anna frowned, trying not to let the memory affect her.

"I know now that he didn't mean it and that he didn't think he could tell me the truth, but I believed it when he told me. That was when I stopped asking."

Elsa laid a hand on Anna's shoulder, her eyes wide and her brow furrowed.

"Oh, Anna. That's why they said those things about you holding me back, isn't it?" Anna looked down, not saying anything, but she didn't deny it either. "That's not true at all. I've said it before, I wouldn't even be alive now without you. And our parents didn't think of you that way either. You don't have anything to prove."

Anna smiled weakly at Elsa, but Elsa could tell that it wasn't enough. It hadn't been enough in the past.

"Isn't there anything I can do to convince you?"

Anna tilted her head, surprised at the question. But it didn't take long for her to come up with answer. It had been bothering her for a while.

"The same thing I told you before. I want to help you rule the kingdom, Elsa." Anna said, placing a hand over her heart. "You told our parents that you resented them for leaving you with the kingdom, and I don't want you to feel like it's a burden anymore. I know you're a good ruler and I know you enjoy being able to help people. Remember how happy you were when that woman thanked you for helping the farmers?"

Elsa nodded slowly, surprised that Anna had been so perceptive. She did, in fact, enjoy her job from time to time. It was just that she sometimes felt overwhelmed by the responsibility she held, or felt unworthy of it due to the problems her magic kept causing.

"Whatever training you think I need, I will do it, because I want you to be happy and I want to be useful to you."

"If you insist, Anna," Elsa said softly, smiling.

It always surprised and touched her how much Anna cared about her, no matter how many times Anna proved it. Elsa began to laugh lightly, and Anna glanced at her, curious. Elsa noticed and explained.

"I was just thinking that our parents would be rolling in their graves if they knew I had agreed to this. They wanted me to be queen because my powers were a danger to myself and others, so I could never leave the palace. They wanted me to take care of the administrative work so that at least you would one day have a chance to be happy." Anna's eyes widened as the implications sunk in. "They never wanted you to be lonely or unhappy, Anna, and they didn't think you were a burden or incompetent. I was the only one who was too dangerous to be let out." Elsa looked down at her hands. Anna shook her head.

"That's not true, Elsa. They didn't think you were a monster. They wanted you to rule the kingdom even though you had magic. They trusted you."

Elsa looked up, her eyes shining with tears.

"Do you really think so?"

"I know it." Elsa wiped her eyes and stood up. She reached a hand out to Anna.

"I'm ready. I can do it now."

Elsa's back was straight, but this time Anna could tell that the confidence wasn't a façade. This was Elsa at her best, her big sister who could do anything. And Anna knew now that Elsa believed in her, too. Anna took her hand and stood up at Elsa's side, nodding in agreement.

"Me, too."

* * *

Anna and Elsa waited nervously in the dining hall as the clock ticked closer to 12. The table was set with all their favorite dishes, including several chocolate desserts. Anna sat to the left of the head of the table, and Elsa sat on the opposite side. Two places were left empty at the head of the table. Their family had eaten dinner together like this many times when they were children; it was the only time of the day that Anna and Elsa had always spent together, so it had been Anna's favorite meal. Sometimes, Elsa would even talk to Anna for a few minutes during dinner. Finally, the clock struck twelve, and knocking came from the door to the dining hall. Anna and Elsa exchanged a look to reassure themselves and then they stood and walked to the door. Neither of them was afraid anymore, and Elsa was no longer wearing her gloves. Elsa opened the door, and waiting just outside were their parents. Their bodies were even more realistic than before, the multicolored ice carved in such great detail that their facial expressions, which had previously been mere caricatures, couldn't be told apart from their fondest memories of their parents. The grotesque skin that they had once worn was gone as well, and this time there was no storm.

"Welcome home." Elsa said, as she always used to. Her father nodded at her.

"Hello, Elsa. Work kept us out later than we expected, but we're back now. Let's get started."

Their mother walked up to Anna and hugged her, and then they all walked to the dinner table. Their parents sat at their spots at the head of the table and Anna and Elsa returned to their previous places. As always, their father led them in saying Grace. Afterwards, as they unfolded their hands and began to eat, no one said anything for a few minutes, as the hall was filled only with the sounds of clinking dinnerware and chewing. It was strange, but it didn't feel so to either Anna or Elsa. The atmosphere felt like an old pair of clothes, warm and comfortable. Once they finished eating, Elsa decided to address them.

"Mother, Father, I wanted to apologize." Elsa began, looking into their eyes.

"Whatever for, Elsa?" their mother asked, tilting her head. Elsa gripped the underside of the table.

"I have resented you for the last few weeks. I blamed you for telling me to shut everyone out and for making me queen. I thought you believed I was a monster."

Elsa took a deep breath, bracing herself.

"I was wrong. You were only trying to protect me, in the only way you knew. You never thought poorly of me. You made me queen because you trusted me to take care of the people in your stead. I forgive you, and I'm sorry."

"I have something to say too." Anna said, putting down her fork. Her stomach churned with shame, but she couldn't let herself look away. She had to be strong, like Elsa. "I made the same mistake as Elsa, except even worse. I blamed you for all of our problems and even for my own mistake with Hans. I didn't even believe that you loved me. You wanted us to be happy. You cared about us. I should never have believed those things."

Tears began streaming down Anna's cheeks and when she looked, she saw the same was true for Elsa. They looked up, startled, as their parents began to laugh. Their father wiped away crystal tears of laughter and tried to calm down to explain, though their mother continued to laugh.

"Oh, girls, you have nothing to apologize for. Anna, you're still a teenager. And Elsa, you're not much older. We'd be strange parents indeed if our children didn't hate us at some point, and we know we weren't perfect." He said, his voice as warm as it always used to be. Their mother finally stopped laughing as well.

"But we're at dinner, dears. Why don't we talk about something more cheerful?"

Elsa smiled as she thought of something.

"You're right, there are a lot of things that we haven't had the chance to talk about together. Do you remember that time when I accidentally froze Father to the ceiling and we had to figure out a way to get him down before anyone realized he was missing?" Anna's eyes widened.

"You did? How many accidents did you have without me knowing?" Anna folded her arms in mock protest, but she only got laughter in response.

"Kai gave me a strange look when I asked for an ice pick but wouldn't tell him why I needed it." Their mother giggled.

"I don't see what was so funny about that. My back hurt for hours afterward, and your mother refused to give me a massage." Their father pouted, and Anna snorted.

"Oh, I have a good one that Elsa probably doesn't know about." Anna said, beaming. "Mother, do you remember when I tried to sneak out of the castle and I begged you not to tell Father? We had to hide behind the suits of armor to get back in without being noticed, and Mother didn't fit behind all of them. That was a close call."

"Dear, it's not polite to comment on your mother's weight."

They talked for what felt like hours, sharing memory after memory of the good times they'd spent together. Elsa couldn't recall the last time she'd been so happy; certainly not before the Great Thaw. Finally, the laughter in the hall died down, and after a few minutes of silence, their parents got up from the table.

"It was nice seeing both of you again." Their father said, gazing at each of them sadly. "But our time is almost up."

Elsa quickly got up from the table, and Anna followed her.

"Wait!" Elsa said, wringing her hands. Their parents didn't move, and Elsa continued speaking. "There's something else I need to tell you. Thank you. Thank you for raising us, and for believing in us, and for believing in me." Elsa smiled sadly. Anna spoke next, her voice strained.

"Thank you for having us. Thank you for giving us a chance to live, and for giving me a wonderful sister. Thank you for loving us."

Their parents walked up to them and drew them into a hug. Elsa and Anna closed their eyes and returned it. Despite the ice, neither one of them felt cold.

"Thank you for being such wonderful daughters." Their mother said.

"You've grown up well. I couldn't be more proud." Their father patted them on the heads.

Finally, they parted and their parents walked back to the exit. Elsa and Anna waved goodbye, and then their parents turned away and dissipated into snow, which was blown away by a strong wind. Anna turned to her sister and squealed, hugging her close.

"We did it, Elsa!"

Elsa smiled down at her.

"Yes, we did."

They heard a gruff, but welcome voice from the entrance and they turned to see Kristoff standing there, with Olaf beside him.

"Hello. What have you two been up to?"

Anna ignored the question, running up to him and tackling him with a hug.

"Kristoff!"

"Woah, easy there, Anna. I know I was out later than I expected to be, but you're hurting my spine."

"Hey, I heard Kristoff was back. Are we hugging now? I love warm hugs!" Olaf grinned. Anna laughed and waved Olaf and Elsa towards her.

"Come on, you two! Group hug!"

Elsa smiled shyly and joined them, hugging Anna and Kristoff, and Olaf joined too, squeezing their legs. Their parents were gone, but for the first time since their deaths, Elsa felt complete.

* * *

A/N: This story ended in a pretty strange way, and I imagine that this last chapter, with 4500 words of dialogue with almost no action probably turned some people off, but I'm pretty satisfied with it. I'd like to thank those who gave me advice on this story. It really helped me make it better, especially those who helped on reddit as /u/Timewinders. Please let me know what you think. I'm still open to making improvements if someone has suggestions, and if you liked it I would be really glad to know that.


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